Days
by SweetBrownie
Summary: The movie didn't show EVERYTHING that happened on RLS Legacy during its voyage to the mythical planet we all know of, as at least a month or two must have gone by while getting there. This is stories of what the characters onboard did during that time. Will mostly take place around Jim Hawkins, but a few chapters might follow others. (T for rare cursing, mild violence, alcohol)
1. Day 3: Jim Hawkins, the First Prank

Day 3, 11: 32 o'clock

Swapping the deck of the grand ship called RLS Legacy, Jim Hawkins is not happy at all. The third day in his new life as a spacer, he still get to do the things no-one else want to so. Right now it was to clean the floor of the big boat, and all while he does this uneventful assignment, he reflects on his new existence as one of the crew. He forces the mop in the bucket from time to time, drowning it in the water-and-soap-mix in between a few swings on the planks at his feet; a routine he has gotten a good hang on after a short time.

He finds himself rather bored, all while he gets chore after chore from the cook, John Silver. And to Jim's big irritation, Silver is the one the teenager is supposed to answer to, being a cabin boy and all. The one person Jim finds most to be a big nuisance, with the biggest stomach he ever seen hanging over the edge of his trousers, is the man who the young man is supposed to work together with. John's mechanical eye is the thing getting on Jim's nerve the most; the yellowish light coming from it looks like it could see everything, even thru the walls. And that pink, flying blob, Morph, is just strange, but funny at times with its ridiculous imitations.

The second thing that Jim can't get over with is all the hard work and labor that comes with Jim's new rank assigned to him; there seems to be no perks to come with it. Thus, making the trip even sourer in Jim's eyes; what he first believed to be an adventure of excitement, a liberation from the grey life on Montressor, turns out to be a seemingly never ending list of things he have no interest to do, but must do anyway. He can't understand why he needs to mop the deck when he did it only two days ago.

Being the only teenager on board, and knowing full well he will be trapped like this for months, Jim feels caged in with a bunch of strangers. And in a way he is, as everyone on the whole ship are unknown to him but one from before this voyage began. Jim feels that no-one understands him, and yet again, that is true to some degree. Most of the crew is keeping to their own, whatever secret business it might be; the one that speaks to him the most would be Silver, giving him orders.

The one person Jim does know from before the start of the voyage is one Dr. Delbert Doppler, but he is nowhere in his age range, and therefore interested to talk about complete other things. Most of it goes over Jim's head, and only a few things that the doctor says get stuck in the teenager's memory. Even when Delbert tries to talk about what Jim is interested in, it sounds forced, and that is not a good conversation to have.

Delbert being an astronomical professor of some sort, he speaks with completely other words than Jim, long and incomprehensible words that is, and that doesn't help much with the lack of subjects to talk about. Trying to his fullest to avoid speaking like that to Jim however, the two of them can have a good talk time to time. And that is really time to time, as not often at all.

"Jimbo!" The call interrupts Jim in his thoughts as he sighs to hear the nickname Silver has given him. From the first day, the cook has called Jim that, and even when the teenager has insisted not to be called Jimbo, Silver have of course not listened. And with no-one else calling Jim by that name, he knows instinctively, without even needing to recognize the voice, it must be the cook calling him now.

"What?" Jim asks irritated and turns his head toward the big, bulking man.

"See to it that you are done before lunch, or you will not get any," Silver speaks, with his head poking up from the galley.

Looking back at his work, Jim sees he must have, at a most minimum, a quarter of unclean floor left. And a quarter of a deck as big as the Legacy, it is more than it sounds. And feeling like he can eat his own weight in food, he really wants to go ahead to the lunch. Looking up towards the galley to protest, he sees that Silver already is gone, probably back down in the depths of the ship. Furious, Jim goes back to mopping the floor, mumbling to himself. Orders, chores, and not enough time for himself; the summary of his first three days onboard is not very appealing in his own ears, and yet he have to live with it.

God, what he misses his solar powered board. Why did he ever leave it at home?

* * *

Day 3, 12: 13 o'clock

Flexing his muscles, sore from the chores he has been forced to do these last days and being so unused to have worked so hard, he heads down the stairs to the kitchen. Finally done with cleaning the deck, he looks forward to eat himself full, ready to gulf himself head first with whatever is served today. When coming to the foot of the stairs he takes a quick look around, seeing that the kitchen is empty. But seeing the pot smoking with something smelling delicious, he doesn't give it a second thought before getting a bowl of the soup within. As soon as he takes a seat by the small table he begins to slurp the soup directly from the bowl.

"Ah, good to see you made it in time, Jimbo." Looking up from the bowl, Jim sees that Silver have entered the kitchen from a side-door, holding a basket of fresh vegetables. Morph comes not far behind, flying circles around Johns head and chirps loudly in a try to make John to give him some food. "Got a bit worried. I thought you surely would work a bit slower today when you missed eating yesterday, but you proved me wrong alright."

Jim remembers the day before, and his mood darkens a bit as he gets back to the soup. It is true that he didn't get any dinner the day before. He got to the lunch in time, but not the dinner. That was not even the worse; he got to do all the dishes from the rest of the crew before going to bed. It was the biggest pile of unclean plates, forks, knifes, spoons, cups and pots he ever seen. It took hours to clean up.

"Ah, cheer up, Jimbo," John smiles, sounding smug for reasons unknown to Jim, and goes ahead to a kitchen counter and puts down the basket, with his back towards the teen. Silver starts to cut up the first few vegetables with his trusty tool-hand-thing. Jim has no idea what it is called, he has tried to fathom what it possibly could be named, and has settled with that, the tool-hand-thing. Or alternatively, the tool-hand-weapon-kit, as in Jim's mind there must be weapons, other than the big sword he saw on his first day onboard, amongst all the kitchen tools. And together with the mechanical eye and leg, the sight is still something for Jim to get used to.

The teenager noticed the tone in the voice and looks at the back of the cook over the bowl he is slurping from, while raising a brow. "You will get the hang of it sooner or later," Silver goes on, while still working on the vegetables. "All you need is some practice." Morph finally realizes he is ignored for now, and decides to fly over to Jim instead.

_It's not practice I need_, Jim thinks for himself, not wanting to say it out loud as he knows it will lead to a punishment in the form of some extra chores. This he has learned the hard way._ Don't think I don't know that you give me more things to do than necessary. The more I get done, the more you will give me to do_. Jimmy does not like John, and the teenager guesses that the cook feels the same about him, even with the easy-going façade Silver always put up. _We are going on each other's nerve._

Jim smiles faintly to himself as he drinks the last of his soup. He knows he will use this to the fullest; he will irritate John as much as he can. He will stomp that nerve, thug at it and make John's life as miserable as he possible can. Jim will set up with jokes and pranks as often as he can pull of, and see how long he can make it without being caught. And they will mostly be directed towards the overgrown man over at the counter.

Jim has the perfect first prank in mind already. It's not like he has anything else to do to get a thrill around here. And it's not like he can go solar surfing or anything.

* * *

Day 3, 14:05 o'clock

Jim is on his way to throw out the leftovers from the lunch over board; he has Morph following in the heels, wanting to grab himself a second meal. As the food is thrown of the boat, the small thing flings itself after it. Looking down after it, Jim knows Morph will return after a few seconds.

He knows it is for the best not to stay too long, as he has begun to clean the dishes after lunch and a little of it is still undone, he looks back towards the stairs down the galley. Usually he directly heads back down the stairs with the big empty bowl where he carried the leftovers, but now, he just stands there with the bowl in hand, listening while holding his breath.

It is a calm day, and most of the crew is down inside the chip, either heating a late lunch or taking it easy. By the looks of it, it seems to be only Jim outside. It fits perfect with what Jim has planned for, and he hopes it to happen.

He hears John's heavy steps faintly moving around downstairs, an unevenly limp declaring it to be no-one else. Jim lingers, listening to the sound John makes, not acknowledging Morph when he comes back onboard the ship. Instead, anticipation fills the teen.

A loud crash, followed with some bangs and a minor riot, makes Jim smile wide. When hearing John swear, the cabin boy must quiet down a laugh.

"JAMES HAWKINS!"

Jim has learned that whenever John calls him by James it is really serious business; the cook doesn't say that name in any other situation, not even using his last name in any other situation. So when his name is shouted from down the galley, Jim floors it, throwing away the bucket after him. Putting his legs behind his back, he hurries all he can to a predetermined hiding-spot; behind some barrels under the stairs leading to the captain's cabin.

The barrels are covered by a big cloth, all of it buzzed down to the floor with some ropes. If Jim hides behind those barrels and puts some of the cloth over him, he is practically unnoticeable. Hiding down and with the fabric over his head, he hears Silver coming up the stairs and trash around.

"Jimbo, you better come out here, or you will be in big trouble," John breathes furiously.

But Jim has no plans on coming out. He rather sit where he is for the rest of the day and replay the event over and over again in his head. He could barely contain himself, feeling how he wants to throw himself onto the floor and roll around in giddy laughter.

What happened is that Jim has stacked a whole bunch of kitchen tools in a kitchen shelf, specifically one that Jim knows John tends to looks into, before closing the doors. He has stacked them in such a way so it will fall out over the next person who opens it. And that person was just the one Jim has aimed for, the one he so ever hates, John Silver. Jim hasn't chosen anything heavy or hazardously pointy, but things like wooden spoons and other not so dangerous things. But still, some of it might have hurt. _Right at him_, Jim scornfully mutters within his mind.

There is a red light going over his head, spying over the barrels. It is Silver's mechanical eye that has turned red and transformed into some kind of point laser. It usually does when the cook is angry, and it is a good way to know when to stay out of the way. The cook tends to yell a lot in that state, and giving any living thing a deadly glare.

Looking at the light observing the barrels, Jim holds his breath. There was a few seconds when nothing happens, but suddenly John's footstep can be heard. But not on their way off from the barrels, but closer. As the sound grows louder, Jim hears there is also another sound, a sound Jim knows all too well; the chirping noise of Morph. The pink little blob enters Jim's hiding-spot the moment later, and the cloth is removed over his head by a big hand, revealing him to the red light.

Jim is dragged out into the open by the collar, and lifted to his feet. He almost yelps, tries to resist and pulls back, away from the hand holding him by his sweater. He then freezes when what sounds almost as thunder is breaking loose right in front of him.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING, PUP?!"

Jim looks up at the face of John, with the mechanical eye burning red and the regular one shooting daggers. Jim is too stunned to answer for a second, he didn't expect to be caught and the small shock is still in effect, but then he decides to act surprised. "What do you mean?"

John shakes him, as if trying to scramble out the truth like you would a ball out a box. "WHAT do you THINK? The whole fumbling with the shelf, I being buried under a bunch of trash and you hiding like you were trying to get invisible."

Jim is getting dizzy from John shaking him, and when the teen tries to speak the only think he can get out is short stutters at the time. "I have no idea what you mean." John stops trashing Jim around and looks him in the eyes.

"Don't take me for a sod with only half a brain. It's easy to put two and two together."

"Oh, is it?" Jim replies offended, now a bit hurt to hear John believe that Jim always do something like this, that it is only logical to assume that the teen has done it. The cook might be right this time, but only because something bad happens it doesn't mean it always is Jim who is the culprit. "Why would you automatically assume it was me in the first place?"

"I know your sort, Jimbo. You are easily bored; you want to do something, want to release your energy somehow and at the same time get the feeling that you are still alive. And believe me, lad, you will know that you are alive when I'm thru with you!"

Jim's cheeks gets red in anger. John is right, but that doesn't make it any less offending, according to Jim. "Sorry to disappoint you, but it wasn't me," Jim half says, half yells, determent to not satisfy John's suspicions about him, however accurate they might be.

"Then at least answer me why you were hiding."

"I saw some rodents and tried to catch them," Jim quickly lies, with his voice full with confidence but still a bit unstable from John's treatment. John looks at him for a long while, studying Jims face carefully. Then he releases the collar and his one eye gets a little less red.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Jim stands his ground, staring defiantly on the face towering over him. And standing there, watching each other, none of them says a word for at least five heartbeats. Jim realizes that heartbeats are all he hears; his heart pumps hard against his chest, something he didn't notice until now. John looks like he contemplates something, as he scratches his chin.

"Well," John finally says slowly, his eye going back to fully yellow and a big grin forming on his lips. "Then it's for the best to get hold of those rodents. Jimbo, you are charged to catch them, and you will not rest until every last of them are cared of."

Silver turns and walks back towards the stairs of the galley when done talking, leaving Jim staring baffled after him.

"... what?" Jim asks, not believing what he hears. Does John actually believe him?

"You heard me," John barks over his one shoulder, sounding content with himself. "You will not eat or go to bed without having anything to show me, so you better get to it." Before going down the opening he turns to Morph. "Morphy, you know what to do." Before the teen could say another word, Silver disappears down into the ship and Morph flies towards Jim to supervise.

Jim can't help himself. He stares with his mouth wide open. He has a hard time believing what he just have heard. Without food or rest? How radical can he get? His thoughts begins to slowly work out what this means, and realizes the strange circumstance he gotten himself into. The big problem is how he is supposed to get his hands on a rodent on a ship in the middle of empty space when he knows it surely are none onboard. And if he wouldn't be able to do this somehow, he must confess the truth to John. That there isn't any rodent, that it was he who was the cause of the accident in the galley and that was why he was hiding. And that would be like... like waltzing right into the brig, lock himself in and throw away the key.

It is first when Morph carefully nudges Jim's head as the teen comes back from his thoughts. They observe each other, Morph having his eyes disproportionately big to show Jim that he is being watched. Jim rolls his eyes, and sighs angrily, before he runs into the lower decks to try to spot at least one rodent, hoping there are any rodents at all.

* * *

Day 3, 17.59 o'clock

_He knows, _Jim thinks irritated, while he feels how his tired and hungry body struggles to do the simplest tasks. _He knows what I did, but he will not say it until I get over to him and tell him the truth myself._ This has dawned on him just a few minutes ago, as he caught an amused John watching him. _Damn it, Silver._

As he has scoured the whole ship for any, ANY, rodent, he hasn't eaten or rested. And the reason is that if he did rest or sleep, or doesn't find anything, Silver will understand that he lied. And as it seems there isn't any rodent to catch, Jim understands the only thing to do now is to tell Silver how things really happened and hope for the best. Jim doesn't like it a bit, and decides that he will count each day he is on this godforsaken boat until he gets off, away from the cook he hates so much.

But there is still one thing he hasn't understood yet. How did John find him so easily when Jim is convinced he couldn't be seen? And after only a second he has his answer flying right into his view.

"Morph, it was you. You led him right to me."

The small, odd creature looks at him, surprise showing clear in the even smaller face. Probably, Morph has forgotten all about it. Feeling the anger grow in his stomach, Jim darts forward to catch the pink thing, only to fail time and time again; Morph shows to be very fast when he wants to. The pink creature enjoys the chase, making teasing noises, as he thinks Jim plays a game with him, making Jim even madder.


	2. Day 4: Delbert Doppler, Friendly Grounds

Day 4, 08. 14 o'clock

Dr. Delbert Doppler stands on the observation deck and breathes in deeply the morning air. It is a beautiful, sunny day today, as the boat is passing a big, blazing star. He feels his mood being upbeat, and all his troubles seems far away in the horizon. All that changes though when he sees the captain coming towards him and stops beside him to observe the activities on the deck below.

Captain Amelia, one of the few female crewmen on the RLS Legacy, has become Delbert's antagonist of some sort. They have disliked each other since day one, and after three days on the same ship has not made any improvement on that matter. It has rather done the opposite, as the situation between them has only escalated to the worse.

She is slim and of normal length, and maybe not much to look at on first sight. But she is very agile and self-confident, much of it confirmed the very first time the two of them met. She was up in the masts and swinging between them while inspecting the boat. _A preposterous way of inspecting anything; dangerous, too much of a risk to get someone harmed and downright dumb._

She is also direct, brief and stern in her ways, in such exaggerated features it is uncharacteristic for women according to Delbert. Friendliness comes in a shortage, and it seems she only shows any to her first mate, Mr. Arrow. And he seems to be of the same mindset, and only shows the only friendship he seems to have towards her.

"Good morning, doctor," she greets in a well-mannered way, but there is an undertone in her voice that tells Delbert she is not wishing him anything of the sort. "Beautiful day, is it not?"

"Yes, indeed," Delbert greets back, putting the same strain to his voice.

They stands there in the following pause, avoiding to look at each other. Below them, a few crewmen is hanging around on their free-time. Glancing for his only friend onboard the ship, Delbert can't find Jim anywhere among the figures moving before him. _Must be slaving down in the galley, as he usually does._

He sigh and tries to figure out an excuse to get down from the observation deck without making himself sound like an overly bad person. And seeing the big shape of John moving on the other side of the ship, Delbert finds the prefect way out.

"If you excuse me, captain, I need to discuss something with Mr. Silver."

Amelia nods but doesn't say anything, showing in silence that Delbert is excused. The doctor strolls down the stairs from the observation deck and goes to intercept John. "Silver? May I have a word with you?"

The cook halts and turns to face the incoming doctor. And giving a friendly smile, John don't seem to mind the small intrusion. "Yes, good sir. What can I help you with?"

Stopping in front of him, Delbert smiles, thankful of the getaway from the so awful woman called Captain Amelia. Even if the doctor has no real subject to discuss, he can always have a chit-chat with John; after all, this is only the fourth day on board and Delbert hasn't got any good chance to get to know the man.

* * *

Day 4, 13. 20 o'clock

The day goes by relatively fast, and Delbert is yet again on the observation deck, this time making a few studies on the stars they are passing. With the help of a small telescope, he can take a close look on them. And with the help of a few other tools, he can find out the distance to them and their size. Writing down what he sees, he forgets the time when he works with the subject of planet and stars. Astronomy has always been his passion.

Too into of what he is doing, Delbert doesn't notice the footsteps closing in. He looks up first when a voice speaks right behind him, startling him a bit.

"Busy, I see," Mr. Arrow observes, his back straight as the masts on the ship and his face as hard as a rock face as usual. With his hands behind his back, the military aura never fails to radiate out from him.

"Yeah, astronomy, you know," Delbert clarifies, not knowing if Mr. Arrow understands what the doctor does.

Mr. Arrow is the captain's first mate, and is a big, muscular man. He is much like the captain in his ways, and probably the only friend he has and needs. Probably it is vice versa, too; that Amelia is the only friend needed for Mr. Arrow.

"Isn't this already known stars?" Mr. Arrow asks with some mild irritation. "You would learn a great deal more when coming closer to our destination, as that part of the galaxy is mostly uncharted."

"You are correct on that, but it isn't often you get a chance to look at these stars with your own eyes," Delbert answers while going back to writing in his papers. "In all my life I have been on Montressor," he adds a bit sadly, getting a fitting face to go with it. "I usually don't venture longer than a few miles from my home. The only stars I could watch was the one showing on the night sky. I had to read about other stars in books."

"I see," Mr. Arrow looks up on the small dots of light on the sky above him. "So this is your first journey amongst the stars?"

"Obviously."

There is a long pause when none of them said anything; Delbert feels relived as he has no bigger liking towards Mr. Arrow; he is too much like the captain. Instead, Delbert could for a short time concentrate on what he is doing. But unknowing to the doctor, Mr. Arrow gets a sad smile in his face, as if he knows how it feels. To have a dream, but not able to live it fully. But then the serious face gets back, a determination showing in his face. A small scheme is planned, and a small promise is made to one lonely man to another.

"Sounds strange to me." The sudden line spoken by Mr. Arrow makes Delbert halt in the middle of a written sentence. The doctor looks up and observes the first mate, who is still looking up at the sight above him.

"What's so strange about it?" the doctor asks, thinking it is an odd thing to say.

"That you love astronomy so much, but yet don't get out to take a look at them yourself."

Delbert gets an even sadder look in his face, as he knows this to be true. He has always felt trapped inside the walls of his observatory, with all its books and the big telescope always aiming at the stars. There is no real life in always reading the essays and studies of others.

"I know," he finally speaks and looks down from Mr. Arrow.

The first mate stops observing the stars and goes to observe the doctor instead. "You know," he speaks, with voice lowered and a small smirk showing. "The captain is a seasoned officer. She has been on many journeys and seen much of the galaxy with her own eyes."

Delbert blinks, meeting the eyes of the first mate. "Really?"

"If you want to hear from someone who has seen much of what there is to see out there you should go and ask her. She have seen more than anyone on this ship." With that, Arrow walks of, away from Delbert who has a hard time believing what it is said to him.

_Go and ask that feline? _He gets a contemptuous face of the bare thought of the captain knowing anything that could help HIM, an astronomer who has studied years and gotten several degrees in the subject._ Not as long as I have my sanity left. _And with that, he goes back to observing the stars with his little telescope and writing down things in his documents.

* * *

Day 4, 16. 00 o'clock

Another tree hours of stargazing has made Delbert tired, and he really likes to go to a secluded part of the ship with a nice cup of tea together with a good book to read. Collecting his stuff and making a detour to drop them off in his small cabin and to get the book, he then goes down in the galley to get some tea.

In the galley he finds Jim, preparing vegetables to dinner together with John with small knifes. The teenager has a look on his face that tells Delbert that he's daydreaming of adventure. Looking up thru the wooden grid that makes parts of the ceiling of the galley (and the floor of the upper deck), Jim doesn't concentrate on what his hands are doing. John is observing the teen in the corner of his eye, observing how the young boy is doing.

"God day, gentlemen," Delbert greets with a smile, feeling good to have spent the greater part of the day to what he loves. "How are you this fine hour?"

"As good as the last time you asked this morning, doctor," Silver greets back in the same manner.

Jim stays quiet, still preparing the vegetable he has in his hands slowly with a knife, not even looking at Delbert.

"Jim?" the doctor asks, trying to get his friend's attention.

Still nothing, as the daydreaming state seems to be unbreakable.

"Jimbo?" John tries from where he works with his own bunch of vegetables to get the teen back to earth, the cook getting a bit irritated that the cabin boy doesn't even answer.

Jim snaps out of it and looks at the two of them, a deep frown showing in his face as he thinks the other two should have something better to do than to bother him. "What?" he asks, irritated.

"I was asking how you are doing," Delbert speaks, now beginning to look for the tea in one of the shelves.

"I'm good."

"Good to hear," Delbert mumbles, as he gets sight of the tea and reaches for it. Just out of his grasp, the tea stays where it stands, unmoving.

"Dr. Doppler?" a sudden voice asks, making everyone in the galley turn their heads towards its point of origin. By the foot of the stairs is Mr. Arrow, his manner as usual strict and hard. "The captain wants a word with you."

Delbert's mood sinks drastically only when hearing that Amelia wants to speak. Why him, of all people?

"And what may she want?" Dr. Doppler asks, grumbling over the situation with the tea, and tries again to retrieve it without making any better progress than before.

Mr. Arrow walks over to Delbert and helps the doctor by taking down the tea. Handing it over, Mr. Arrow gets a grateful smile from Delbert.

"She wants to speak about astronomy," the first mate clarifies.

Delbert can't do anything but blink towards the bigger man in front of him. _Is he serious? But we can't stand each other._ The doctor tries to get a grasp of the strange request, and an awkward pause follows. He can see from the corner of his eye how John and Jim gives each other a look; a silent dialog between the two that tells him they surely agree with him.

Delbert clears his throat. "Well, it will be interesting to hear what she has to say," he smiles, and there was nothing else but sincere curiosity in his voice. This is something highly unusual indeed. "Excuse me, Jim. John."

Delbert accompanies Mr. Arrow up the stairs, taking the tea with him and with the cook and the cabin boy staring after them. Away from the others Delbert takes the chance to understand what the whole thing was about.

"Mr. Arrow, why is it that the captain wants to speak with me about astronomy? If I am allowed to say so, but isn't it a bit out of character of her?"

The first mate stops and turns to Delbert, all in a sweep with his hands behind his straight back. "Maybe it is, doctor. And maybe it was me who talked her into it."

Delbert halts, shocked of the revelation. "Why?" he is able to ask, not understanding the reason why Arrow would do something like this.

"Because you are not the only one that has something of a dream."

Delbert, still not able to understand, gets furrows in his brow.

"You see, Dr. Doppler," Mr. Arrow continues with his voice lowered, looking down. His back is not as straight as it usually is, and it looks almost like the first mate's spirit is broken. "I like the captain, I really do. Maybe even more so than she does me. But I know that even how much I like it to be, she will never… love me in that way."

The understanding hits Delbert as a rock, and he can't stop himself when the corners of his mouth perks up a bit. He could never believe this about a man like Mr. Arrow, even less having feelings like this towards a woman like the captain.

"I see her every day, but I can never tell her how I feel. Because in her eyes, we are only friends. If I told her, and if it doesn't turn out good, then we will lose what we already have." When he is done talking Mr. Arrow turns to Delbert, a sad smile showing.

"Sorry to have to ask," the doctor speaks. "But what does this have to do with me and the captain speaking about astronomy?"

Mr. Arrow's back gets straight again, and his manner goes back to his usual one. But the smile is still there when he answers the question. "I might not be able to live out my dream, but I might help you with yours by letting you speak with the captain."

* * *

Day 4, 16. 15 o'clock

Delbert stares at the fabric of the door leading the captain's cabinet. He can't believe himself for even considering the idea; when he realized he would be better of trying it out he wondered if he was seriously ill. _Mr. Arrow surely lied, she can't be the only one on this ship who can help me! _But the more Delbert thought on it, the more possible it gets.

He has checked with everyone but the captain, and barely half of them knows what the word astronomy means. Many of them seems to have seen much of space, though, but are unwilling to share their knowledge. Whenever he asks the first mate to tell him about space instead, Mr. Arrow only directs him to the captain. And there is no idea to ask Jim, as Delbert knows this is the first journey the teen is on; Jim hasn't any bigger interest in astronomy anyway and therefore has nothing to offer on the subject.

Mumbling to himself, Delbert considers the thought of just making it on his own. It is more interesting to discover the things for himself, but with the captain's help, he can discover so much more. The dilemma he stands in front of is if his lust to learn is greater than the disgust he feels for Amelia. The two sides struggles within him, hindering him from knocking on the door.

He stands there, silent, staring, grumbling for himself. He doesn't notice the minutes flying by, and before he knows it, Delbert feels his fingers go numb of the cold night air. He has to make a choice.

He sighs, and reaches for the doorknob.

* * *

**Well, now when this chapter is all done, I feel that I owe people a small explenation. For those of you who read the first chapter and enjoyed it might have expected something funny in the next chapter, much like the first one. And that was my plan in the start. When I came halfway with the next chapter I relized all of a sudden that I wanted a good introduction to Captain Amelia, Mr. Arrow and Delbert Doppler. So the chapter I began with at first was to be the third chapter and I began on a new chapter that was to be the this chapter.**

**When I worked with it I got the idea to try to get a better understanding on Mr. Arrow and his view on his relationship to captain Amelia, and also the begining of Delbert and Amelia warming up to each other (everything being from Delbert's POV, but anyway). The idea of Arrow being secretly in love with Amelia come quite late in the writing, and I would love to hear if that was the right choice to do on my part. In the end, the more I wrote on the chapter, the more I understood it will not be as the first chapter, but take a more sad and serious look at things. But I don't mind, as I have put friendship and adventure as genres for this story, not humor. Just thought I should tell you all why it all turned out like it did with this chapter.**

**Anyhow, I assure everyone that the humor will be back in the next chapter. I have already made about 1500 words on it, and my goal is to do at least 2500 words on each chapter.**


	3. Day 5: John Silver, Revenge

**Agh, to hell with the 2500-word rule. No need to force things out when it only makes the outcome worse.**

* * *

Day 5, 05.07 o'clock

John enters the sleeping area and takes a pause by the entrance to observe the dozens and dozens of hammocks hanging in there. The rest of the crew, except for those on the nightshift, sleeps deep. There is all kind of snoring coming from the peaceful scene, making a choir of sounds that would make most people twist and turn in their beds in tries to get some sleep of their own. But if you really is tired, as all working on a ship gets without a doubt, these loud noises doesn't bother one bit. A good example being young Jim sleeping in the far end of the room, right under Mr. Snuff, the big slug creature that is one of the flatula species.

John himself has been up for about fifteen minutes, being up and preparing for the day's work. And now it's the time for his cabin boy to get up and help with the breakfast for all the sleeping people in this room. Taking hold of one of the hammock's cord it uses for holding itself up, Silver shakes it roughly. Jim wakes up with a jerk, causing him to rock even more in his hammock.

"Time to rise, Jimbo, lad."

Jim looks drowsy up at the cause of his awakening, sighing when he comprehends it to be John. "Go away," the teen pleads and settles back into his bed.

"Now, now, you have gotten our beauty sleep. Get up."

Jim gives him a glare, and if a look could kill John would be dead on the spot. The cook couldn't stop grinning, as he enjoyed to get on the boy's nerve. The teen tried a stunt not that long ago, tried to bury John under a bunch of kitchen tools to get a laugh. Being proud of his genius plan of holding Jim to his lie, it was John who got the laugh in the end. _Damn pup, who doesn't know how to pick fights. If he wasn't such a damn pup, he wouldn't have been able to stand straight after what he did. No, holding him to it was the best thing to do. And the look on his face when he confessed? It was hilarious._

Morph pops up over John's shoulder, letting out an alerting chirp, and darts over to Jim the second after. The small thing wouldn't let Jim be, and keeps bothering the teen to no end. Jim, knowing that he will never be allowed to go back to sleep as long as the two is there, he gives a tired and irritated sigh as he gets up and gets his boots on.

* * *

Day 5, 07.39 o'clock

No rest for the wicked. That is best way to describe Jim right now, as he barely gets any time to haul himself some breakfast before John sends him out to work. Looking at the teen's backside when Jim goes up the stairs, John indulges himself in his gloat. And if that hasn't been enough, John can't shake of the thought he has carried ever since Jim's prank the other day. Inspiration has truck him, and a little plan of his own has taken form in his mind. Turning his head a little toward the resting pink blob on his shoulder, Silver chuckles quietly.

"I tell you, Morph, Jimbo should get something back for his trouble. We should make our own little fun on his expense. But that will be our little secret. Right, Morphy?" Morph chirps, turning to a miniature of John. "Our little secret," he repeat after the cook with his tiny voice. Maybe little too high, as John is sure he hears footsteps on the upper deck.

"Shhh, not so loud," John quietly warns and glances up the stairs with worry for getting caught showing in his face. It seems that no-one took notice, as there isn't any sound from the top of the stairs or anyone coming back down. Turning back at Morph, John gets back his grin. "Good. Keep an eye on him, and won't let him down here until I call."

Morph turns back into his regular form and flies away, out the exit and out of sight. John chuckles again, a bit louder this time as he has the perfect prank in mind. He is about to open a shelf to get something out, but stops himself as his hand is on the handle. He gets a suspicious face, on the verge on counting as serious, and moves out the way before he whacks the door open. Nothing falls out of it, and John lets his smile come back to his face.

It is high time to get a laugh on this boat.

* * *

Day 5, 11. 55 o'clock

Going up the stairs, John spies for his cabin boy. The teen is currently putting on a new layer of a protective lacquer on the railings surrounding the open deck with Morph flying over his head. John has given him the task of sanding and putting lacquer on the wooden floor, railings and the walls, all of these areas is worn not only by the things out in space, but also of the crew. Both forces makes the wood take a heavy blow overtime, and if you want the fabric to keep good quality, you need to put on a new layer of lacquer now and then.

A time-consuming task, John saw it fit as a punishment for Jim's prank. The teen has worked with nothing else but sanding and painting the wood the whole day yesterday and all morning today.

John smiles mischievously to himself. _Now, revenge will be served,_ he declares as he disguise his grin into a more every-day look and opens his mouth to call for the cabin boy.

"Jimbo!"

Jim turns his head, glaring at the cook. The look has no bigger effect on the bigger figure, as a friendly smile covers John's face. "It's time to eat," the cook declares.

The expression in Jim's face goes from irritated to blank, from blank to surprise and from surprised to suspicion, all in the matter of seconds. "I'm not done with the railing-" he begins, as the cook has told him not to come back into the galley to eat lunch until the railings is done. He did all the floor yesterday, and began with a wall or two. And only about one fourth of the railings is done.

"You want to starve, lad?"

The question makes Jim stare on the cook as if observing someone who just have done something totally unexpected. John has no idea what that unexpected would be, but by reading by Jim's face it is probably of the worst kind. There is a pause before John decides to speak again, now sounding a bit unsure.

"You haven't got much food these last days, so I just thought that I should be kind for once," he tests and looks for any changes in the boy's face. "But if you want to, you can keep on working until you are done."

"No, I'm coming." Jim seems to swallow the lie, and puts down the big brush covered with lacquer before starting his way towards the galley. Morph follows, chirping hungrily. Silver smiles wider, and heads down the stairs as Jim gets to the opening.

Downstairs there is one plate with steaming hot food placed on the table, with a glass of milk and cutlery. Jim takes a seat and gives a starved look at the food in front of him. It smells delicious; only the sight of it makes Jim's mouth water. And not before long, he takes the first bite and chews it fast, eager to fill himself full of the dish.

Morph comes over to John and takes his usual seat on the shoulder while still declaring how hungry he is. John gives the blob a glance before looking back on Jim, and Morph grows silent. That short look has a very clear meaning; _Not now, something will happen._ Morph gets curious and observes the teen, who has stopped chewing. Jim gets a strange face; an alarming look that could only mean one thing.

"My God, its BURNING!" Jim screams and spits out the food. John is not late to show how entertained he is; his laughter echoes thru the whole ship, in the company with Jim's struggle to make the painful sensation in his mouth go away.

* * *

Day 5, 12. 10 o'clock

"You went too far," Jim whines as he lies on the floor of the galley, clutching his burning stomach, with his tongue stunned and cheeks aching. "And it's not funny!"

John can't stop chuckle when observing the poor boy. This is the most entertaining idea he had for a long time. Amelia, together with Mr. Arrow and Delbert, stands by the stairs and observes the unusually sight before them. Morph is feasting of a big bowl of food, which is not spiced with superhot chili sauce, complete unaware of anything happening that is not directly concerning him.

"Mr. Silver, are you sure he will be alright?" the captain asks one final time.

"Yes, captain, sir. It was all just an accident. Must have taken the wrong ingredients by mistake."

"You wish!" Jim growls. "You did it on purpose."

"Then see to it that it doesn't happen again," the captain commands, ignoring Jim's statement completely, and walks up the stairs with Mr. Arrow following closely behind her. Delbert stays for a second, giving Jim a worried look.

"No worry, Jim. The pain doesn't last for long," the doctor ensures. Jim grimaces, as it feels like it will not go over anytime soon, and looks on as Delbert gets up the stairs himself.

John chuckles again, glad to get even with the boy. Maybe this might make the pup think more carefully before doing any prank on old John Silver. Even as he believes this might be a onetime phenomenon, John has enjoyed it. In the world of traveling long distances trapped on a ship, the voyages can get far too boring after a time. With this boy on board, it might change.

But still, the boy needs to learn how to pick fights. If it was to be anyone else of the crew, Jim wouldn't be so lucky. If it was Scroop, the teen would surely be dead by now.

* * *

Day 5, 15. 00 o'clock

Peeking over at Jim for the first time since lunch, John tries to determent what the teen is thinking. Still working with the railing, the teen has done more than two thirds, with Morph observing every move he does. Silver wants to know if there will be another prank coming at him in the near future, or if the boy has learned a lesson. But so far, John is unsure what to make of it. Jim seems deep in thought, but the cook can't make up what the teen seem to think on.

Looking back down the stairs, Silver disappears down into the galley. As he comes to the bottom he scratches his chin, smiling to himself for his own little trick with the chili sauce. Even when he had to throw whatever was left of Jim's food, it was all worth it. But if Jim decides to do another trick, John don't know if he should stop the prank spree. The logical thing would be to stop it, but there is not that many entertaining things on a boat. Should John really terminate this one? He is terribly unsure on the matter.

Within minutes though, John starts playing with the thought of Jim's potential comeback and begins to plot revenge. _I can't do the same thing again, that's for sure_. The boy's wailing about attracted the attention of Arrow, who was happening to pass the opening to the stairs, so the whole thing didn't go as unnoticed as John planned it. John insisted it to be an accident when captain asked what happened, but if the same thing would happen again, Arrow and the captain will surely suspect something.

After trying to get a plan clear, he has nothing to show for it. Maybe he should put a stop it.

* * *

Day 5, 18. 27 o'clock

Something is amiss, John can feel it. Jim has not been himself since the trick with the food. It takes only a glance, and you know the boy plans something. John can swear it is another prank. He bets his hat on it, it MUST be another prank. But to his own surprise, John has decided not to put a stop to it. Not yet anyway. He rather see what Jim will think of next, reason being the boredness of the whole traveling business. For too long there has been nothing but work on boat rides like this and not enough fun. Maybe, Jim will even learn to keep to himself on the way. And there will always be fun to see how far he will take things.

And sure as the paint on the boat, based on the face Jim gives him across the table while eating dinner, the next prank will come soon. Maybe even the next day, if John has to guess. But John will be keeping his eyes open. The boy will not be able to do anything without Silver knowing about it.

The next few days will be interesting.


	4. Day 8: Jim Hawkins, the Wobbly Leg

Day 8, 07:07 o'clock

A big nebula with blazing colors greets Jim as he emerges on deck. The massive body of gas and dust decorates an otherwise dark or one-colored horizon. Dr. Doppler has surely said many things about nebulas, about them being the birthplace of planets and stars and all that, but most of it has been tuned out of Jims hearing as the boy has no interest of all the details about it. The boy just likes to watch the beautiful clouds that can contain all kinds of shades, and let's himself get carried away off the scenery of it.

It has been an early morning as always, beginning with the daily routine to be woken by John Silver. The wakening today has been unusually rough, as the cook, instead of just shaking the hammock lightly as he does otherwise, gives it such a strong jerk that swung it a quarter of a loop into the air. The result is that Jim falls out and lands face first on the floor. It has not been one of his greatest moments aboard. Making it all worse, John only laughed at the groggy heap he has at his feet.

Now, Jim has been given the honor to bring breakfast to captain Amelia in her cabinet. Only the thought of giving breakfast to the captain makes Jim wanting to get sick. It's like giving that kid you don't like your last candy just because your parents says it would be nice of you. He doesn't like the captain; she is too stern and bossy, and she also took Jim's map. And if that's not enough, she assigned him to be John's cabin boy on the very first day of the whole flight.

In Jim's two hands he holds a tray with a plate of steaming porridge with applesauce, milk and a spoon, a cup of coffee (black, of course) and a cookie. As Jim glances at the cookie he can't stop himself from scowling a bit. _Damnit, Silver. Stop trying to suck up to her. She doesn't deserve it anyway, having my map locked up and all._

Jim has only been on the ship RLS Legacy for only about a week, and while doing all kind of chores John has given him, the teen has learned that the cook always seems to try to treat the captain as some kind of queen. Never angry at her, always following her orders to the letter, giving her honeyed whenever he gets the chance and, as Jim witness once again right now, giving her a little sweet with every meal.

Jim looks at the cookie one last time before entering the captain's cabinet, wishing that he, somehow, can make a fool of John in front of the captain. It would pretty much be the highlight of the whole journey according to the cabin boy.

* * *

Day 8, 09:21 o'clock

John has gone asleep in the galley, sitting comfortably on a footstool with his upper body resting on a few big bags and with the organic leg resting over the cybernetic one. With his big figure and with the big belly of his, he almost looks like the bag he is resting his back on. His snores rings thru the medium big but cramped room that made the kitchen on the ship.

The sight made Jim pause for a moment, as the picture is unusual for someone as John Silver. For a man that always works, always doing something from early morning to late night and always have chores over for his cabin boy, Jim has never seen John tired or in the need of a nap in the middle of the day. If it was John who have walked in on a napping Jim, the cook would have given the teen a hard time for sleeping on the job. A small Morph rests on John's shoulder, giving off small snores with even intervals. Its pink color is a bright contrast to the dark fabric that makes John's coat.

For a second Jim just observed the slumped figure, a bit unsure on what to do. The teen has come down to get another assignment, but is not sure if he should disturb John now when seeing how the cook is "preoccupied". This is maybe a chance for a wanted and well needed break. But then, when looking a longer moment at the cybernetic leg, an even better idea suddenly takes form in Jim's mind, and a cunning smile breaks out in his face. This is an opportunity for another prank that Jim will not pass up on.

He goes and fetch something that he has seen Silver use on a few occasions; an oiler that the cook uses on his robot prostatic whenever the joints and the different parts creeks or acts up. With the small oiler in hand, Jim starts to squirt the content in several places on John's metallic leg and even a little on his arm. Jim quiets a few exited sounds as he works, fantasizing of seeing Silver wobble and sliding over the top deck. He even puts some oil on the foot of the prostatic, hoping it would make it slip over the floor.

Jim has so much fun he didn't notice how quick the oil ran out until the oiler was empty. Content of his work, Jim goes to put back the oiler before he walks up the stairs and occupies himself in wait for the sleeping man below to wake up. He could barely wait.

* * *

Day 8, 10:33 o'clock

There has been some strong solar flares their way, and to capture as much of it as possible to push them forward faster they must repetition, straighten and keep overseeing the sails. There has gone surely a half hour into it, and Jim has been watching the others work as he himself has been ordered to do some small works here and there.

Jim has almost forgot about him oiling John's leg until he can hear certain sounds from down the galley. There is a ruckus coming from there it could only mean one thing: Silver has woken up and are now discovering that he has some troubles with certain limbs. Then the most peculiar scene is unfold before the teen and half the crew when the furious cook struggles up the stairs, speaking in the most colorful swearwords Jim has ever heard.

When he caught sight of John with a cybernetic leg going wild and a red laser eye aiming right at the teen, Jim starts grinning at the sight and gets ready for running for a safe spot. There is nothing to worry about, as there is no way that the cook can get his hands on Jim in this state. So it will be easy to get out of the way and then just hide. A chirping Morph is flying right after Silver, but keeping itself a distance from the danger that is right now its owner with a worried face.

"JAMES!"

The whole deck goes quiet as all eyes turns towards the cook. Any and all gets either nervous or outright frightened in the view of the enraged man, and everyone gets out of the way to make a path for him where he goes. Jim barely picks up on the strange and almost scary reaction the crew have on an enraged Silver because of the scene and the amusement seeing the cook barely able to stand. And if the teen would pick up on it he would only explain it with that the man is one of the bigger crewmen, with pretty much strength and the mysterious tools and weapons within his tool-hand-thing (alias the tool-hand-weapon-kit).

"JAMES HAWKINS, GET YOUR BUM OVER HERE THIS INSTANT!" Silver roars sliding a little with his uncontrollable metallic foot as he makes his way to the teen, not caring that he is now the center of attention of the whole boat. Not even Morph makes a sound, seeing it to be inappropriate when all the others are quiet. The blob looks with increasing worry on Silver's robotic leg.

Jim isn't impressed at all, and are not to do as John says. His logic says the best thing to do is to keep his distance; to approach an angry bear is to ask for trouble, and are not a healthy thing to do. And John really looks like a bear in his current state of mind; only those with a death-wish would get near him now.

"Is there any problem here?" another more calmly but yet slightly irritated voice demands. Its owner appears soon later from the observation deck, who happens to be Captain Amelia with Mr. Arrow in tow. All attention switch over to her, even the attention of an enraged John Silver.

John's rage dwindle when seeing the captain, and, in a try to get his stature back, the cook straightens his back and takes some confident but shaking steps with his cybernetic leg. "Well, I wouldn't call it a problem, captain, sir," he begins excusing. "It's only-"

But he has no chance to finish his sentence, for he slips again and crashes right into her. Amelia shouts out in surprise together with some swearwords from Silver and a few grumbles from the crew. Jim, first in a bit of a shock, starts to laugh out loud without thinking beforehand and doesn't caught himself before getting a few looks of some crewmen and an deadly glare from John. _Oh my gosh, this is just like I wanted!_

As soon as seeing the look thrown his way Jim tries to quiet down, but can only get it down to a snickering. John's sigh is glued a good second on Jim before he goes back to the troubles at hand, which is not only a leg that has gone haywire but also an enraged captain that almost got crushed by her cook. With all the crewmen watching at the strange scene before them Jim takes this as his queue to get out of the way. Trying to make himself as unnoticeable as possibly, he gets away from the growing crowd.

And on his way he can see Scroop smile and snicker at John's predicament until the big bug gets a sigh at Jim. When their eyes meet, Scroop stop smiles and frowns, giving of a hissing sound. Jim frowns back before turning the back to the bug.

* * *

Day 8, 11:30 o'clock

Jim can't be more proud of himself; even after a long while of hiding from a certain death in the hands of a fuming Silver the sight of the cook is still fresh in the teens mind. The crash into the captain couldn't have been better. It was in its simplicity glorious. He has no idea how to surpass himself next time, and he have no idea even if it is possible.

There have been about an hour now, and keeping an eye out for the cook until now has made Jim quite tired. He hasn't done much else than to hide, and he is sure that John must have cooled off by now. So Jim goes ahead and heads towards the galley to see if the cook would be there, and while heading over the deck he couldn't see many other of the crew on the deck.

But suddenly, not that far from the stairs, he is snatched from his feet and hold in a hard and uncomfortable grasp. He is, quite literally, scared out of his wits from the sudden scare.

"GOT YOU NOW, YOU SLITHERING BUGGER!"

To Jim's irritation it is a mad Silver who has the cabin boy in a stone-hard lock some distance over the deck's floor. "Hey!" the teen frowns, kicking furiously with his legs as Silver starts walking towards the gunwale. "Let me go!"

"I might!" John says before suddenly dangle the teen out over the side of the ship only by the collar of the sweater in a strong grasp with his robotic arm.

"WOAH!" Jim gasps in astonishment. This action surprises Jim as much as it terrifies him; that the cook would make such an action comes out of the blue as Silver seems not to be a person that usually threatens people with their life. At least is seemed so to Jim up to this point. The teen captures a glimpse of the abyss that makes the dark space below the ships and wishes instantly that he hasn't, all while convulsively grasping at John's arm.

"Now, you listen carefully, pup, or I will let you go right here and now," John growls coldly, with his robot eye shining red in anger. "I know that you would like to make some pranks here and there, and I can live with that. I love to get a chance to pay back on you whenever you decide to prank me. But I advise you to plan your pranks carefully here on out; if you somehow ridicule me in front of the captain again I don't care what the consequences are or even WHERE we are, I WILL throw you of the ship."

While saying the last words he shakes Jim by the collar so that the teen's body would swing a bit over the drop, as if emphasizing his threat. It works as intended. "Understood?" John asks, commanding. Jim, scared and shocked to such a degree that he can't find his voice, just nods, feebly and nervously. "Good," snaps the cook as he jerks Jim back over the gunwale and onto the ship. The cook's cybernetic eye turns less red, but is till red enough to tell that Silver is not out of his angry mood right away.

When feeling his feet on the woodwork again, Jim can't stop his legs from shaking. It feels like his body has turned several tons heavier and that his legs has become like tooth-sticks who barely can hold up anything. He now know how John can be when the cook is REALLY angry, not just crabbed.

"Come on down to the galley," a grumpy Silver orders as he lets go of the boy and starts towards the stairs. "We have work to do." As the cook disappears down to the inner parts of the ship there is only silence, and it takes a while before Jim can make his legs move again to follow John down the stairs.

* * *

Day 8, 14:39 o'clock

Jim has still not regained himself from the threat Silver made, and the teen has barely braved to talk back even once since. And John seems to not have regained his usual composure either, as he never seem to lighten his mood even slightly. It is not that hard to figure out that Jim has crossed a line, and Silver has made it very clear what that line is and to never cross it again. EVER.

Dr. Doppler has noticed the change in his friend, and has asked on several occasions what the matter is. Jim has not really given an answer, not wanting to admit how big of an impact the incident had on him. Jim has tried to go on as usual in front of the doctor, but it has been hard. Morph has also shown worry, but for both Jim and Silver as it considers both its friends, and seems to become sadder as the strain behavior between the cook and his cabin boy goes on.

John has since the threat been very silent, even to Morph and other crewmen, as if the cook has been deep in thought. Jim can't shake of the feeling that Silver is contemplating something. But the cabin boy is not bold enough to ask about it today.

* * *

Day 8, 20:02 o'clock

"Jimbo."

The name comes weak and tired, which was surprising to Jim, as it was the first time he hears the cook speak that way. Both are sitting in the galley, cleaning things up for the day and prepares for the next day. Even when they both has been in this medium big room for surely the last hour or so it has been quiet as the grave, with some occasionally chirping noise from an depressed Morph.

"Mhm?" Jim says, not daring to turn the cook's way.

"Jimbo, please look at me," John almost begs, a second thing that surprises even more. The teen turns to Silver, but doesn't dare to look him right in the face but instead stares at that big stomach of his. There is a short pause as if Silver waits for Jim to look up at his face. But when the cook realizes that wouldn't happen he breathes deeply before speaking again, his voice still weak and tired.

"I… I just want to…" Silver stops short, seemingly having a hard time to get out the words. There is another pause, a longer one this time, before he continues. "I want to say I'm sorry for earlier, 'kay."

The words sounds alien to Jim; the teen has heard John say sorry only once before, and that was on Jim's first day onboard. It was when he told a short version of how his father have left him at a young age. That time it has sounded half-heartedly, a bit casual and with a small mixture of ´I know how that must have felt´. But now, when Silver says it this time, it sounds more sincere. Feels more sincere. Like if he really means it.

Jim looks down again on his own work. He doesn't really know how to react, or what to say or feel, so just being quiet seems to be the safest choice right now. To let John ease his heart, and to hear what he has to say.

"I overreacted, and that was wrong," Silver goes on short. "I'm sorry for it."

It goes quiet again. They doesn't say another sound in what feels like an eternity. But then, Jim finally finds his voice, and his courage, again.

"Don't mention it."

* * *

**Ah, their first father/son moment... or... at least something close to it, anyway.**

**I want to flightly give a special thanks to wildartist4 for giving me the idea of having Jim overoil Silver's cybernetic leg so it goes all wobbly, and that he/she inspired me of then having Silver crash right into Amelia and threaten Jim to be thrown overboard for it. Hilarious!**

**I also want to inform that if anyone have any good ideas for the coming chapters, or any ideas at all for that matter, go ahead and send me a word by PM. Those who frequiently comes up with good ideas will be written into my creditboard on my profile. Whenever I use someones idea I will credit him/her in the end of the chapter. But please remember to PM me whenever it is about an idea, not like an review where everyone can see it. Spoilers, you know.**


	5. Day 9: John Silver, Itching-powder

Day 9, 04:49 o'clock

On this morning it is unmerciful cold, and Silver has to admit that staying in bed swept up tightly in the quilt was very tempting. But there is always things to do, so staying put would only put him in trouble with the captain, something Silver is trying everything not to. John can say that he already had his close calls with her even after only 9 days on the journey, a special moment to consider to those calls is the unfortunately incident the day before.

John isn't in his bed, but made his way to the galley. He isn't preparing for today's work as usual, however; he is sitting down by the lonely table and takes a moment to think for himself when he has the chance now in the calm of the morning. He usually doesn't take a moment only for thinking; he often does it at the same time as he works as the thoughts seems to flow better that way.

Morph is up with him, cuddling on his shoulder in a try to get some extra warmth. It seem like the pink blob would want to get even closer and to get in under the thick coat Silver almost always wears to escape the cold, but thinks that the shoulder is much too comfortable. Therefore Morph stays where it is, dealing with the complications.

When John thinks how Jim has made him crash into Amelia the other day the cook can honestly say that the thought of killing the boy was most inviting, and Silver was very close to doing it, too. When he had finally found Jim and was dangling him over the gunwale, John was so angry that he couldn't think straight.

Now, to hurt people is nothing he usually does if not for a good reason, and for killing someone even a better reason is needed. But that is a rule of thumb of John's that can easily be forgotten when the rage fills his mind. Jim has no idea how lucky he really was; it all could have ended completely differently if the anger was just a little stronger.

Pondering over the outcome, John has felt a certain guilt over reacting the way he did. He had thought on it for several hours after doing it, and finally decided to say sorry for what he did. It isn't often he is sorry over anything he had done, and he would never imagine that he would do it to someone like Jim.

When the cook came around to doing it Silver is thankful that he was able to do it out of the crews view, or else they would accuse him of getting soft for the boy. But of course John hasn't gone soft; he wouldn't allow himself to let it go so far. Silver only looks out for Silver when the situation calls out for prioritizing of lives, and no-one else.

Done thinking of that kind of thing, John tries to figure out what the correct comeback of a prank to put on Jim. Pondering on the subject, it takes a while to come up with something. But when he does come up with a good idea it doesn't take long to get to work on it. Only minutes later he is in the big room full of hammocks with a jar in his hand.

Morph is flying over his head, curious of what he is to do. Smiling like the devil himself, John spreads a thin layer of the powder that lies inside the jar over Jim's hammock and over the sleeping body of the boy himself. Morph studies it as it falls and flies a bit closer to get e better look. But the shape-shifter doesn't touch it.

The powder is not any powder; it is itching-powder. It will make some trouble for Jim when the boy will wake up, even when it is a barely visible layer covering him. John even put some of the powder on Jim's boots and jacket that have been tossed in a hump by the bed the night before for good measure, just as Jim has done with the oiler on Silver's mechanical arm.

Jim always sleeps in his sweater, pants and socks, something that all the crewmen on the ship do. Because of the clothes acting a bit like a barrier it will take a bit longer for the powder to take effect, but Silver doesn't mind to wait a bit. The powder will make it itch all the same, and make it so that Jim have to either try to wash it off with water and soap or scratch himself bloody. A John will surely be there all the way to laugh in the teen's face, and make sure to slow down the search of a bucket of water.

The teen barely notices what's going on where he lies asleep, mumbling something incoherent to himself. That doesn't trouble Silver at all as he slinks away to wait for what's to come, Morph following close behind. It's like stealing candy from a baby, or in this case, covering the babe in itching-powder. It's equally easy.

* * *

Day 9, 05:10 o'clock

Silver didn't wake up the boy as usual that day, in wait and anticipation for the powder to kick in. He can barely wait for the powder to spread to every body part of Jim in his sleep. And not after long, John's attention goes to a soundly grumble coming his way. Silver was working in the galley at the time, working with the breakfast for the rest of the ship. And when Jim comes down the stairs, scratching and clawing all over himself, John can't hide his delight over the boy's situation. The teen almost looks like he has spasms whenever the hands have to change spot to scratch.

"I'm not joking, Silver, I will kill you in your sleep!" Jim immediately threatens when entering the room, not caring over the events of him almost dropped out the boat the day before.

The words doesn't scare the cook one bit, only producing a heartily laughter. The laugh only grows stronger when Jim gives the most threatening glare he can muster, all while itching all over his skin. A glare from the teen cannot be counted as anything when comparing it to one of Silver's. In the truth of it, anyone that have seen real danger wouldn't be scared of the boy tries to be intimidating. And Silver has been thru some dangerous things in his days.

"Good luck with that, Jimbo, lad," the cook is able to say in-between outburst, wiping tears from his organic eye, not going for Jim's try for a threat at all. Nothing the boy can say in this state could be taken as threatening.

"I hope you steps on a LEGO!" Jim speaks angrily, not able to stop scratch himself, and twist himself to get a hard reached spot as the itching intensifies ever so little. "Or stub your toe or something!"

But the cook's gloating isn't long-lived. As the teen struggle continues he hits a shelf by accident. The Jar with the same itching-powder John has used happens to be standing on the highest level, well over Silver's tall figure. The Jar loses its balance and falls down. And who happens to stand in its way but not Silver?

The laugh stops abruptly, and a shout of pain and surprise is heard when the jar hits the big man, breaking on impact. The floury content spreads out in a cloud, consuming and completely engulfing John. It gets under his clothes, in his mouth, eyes and nose, not letting a spot go untouched. Jim pauses for a moment and stares at the ruckus in front of him, not really knowing what to make out of it at first.

Jim starts to laugh first when seeing how John begins to unwillingly scratch himself with a bewildered face. Jim figured out what the powder surrounds the cook just was. Now it is John who gives a deadly glare to a laughing Jim.

"That couldn't have happened at a better moment," the teen celebrates, smiling and even give a laugh with the uncomfortable feeling he have all over his body. "Right at you, Silver!"

"Ah, shut your trap, you damn pup!" comes the angry reply.

Not really knowing what to say back, Jim pauses for only a second to think something out. But in the midst of his own little struggle nothing good comes to mind. "No, YOU shut YOUR trap, you damn cook," he gets out of himself in a mad voice, only to reply with anything.

Silver's robotic eye turns red and takes a good long stare at the cabin boy. "Don't you get cocky with me, cub," John warns with a growl.

"You started it!" the teen throws back.

Now they both stands there, both scratching themselves as crazed and have no power of stopping it. And if it couldn't get any worse, they are now starting to sputter the most intricate things at each other, fueled by the powder working its magic. It's like hearing two young schoolmates in before the teens have an uproar at each other at the schoolyard. This goes on for roughly fifteen minutes, ending first when another crewmen walks in on them.

* * *

Day 9, 05:29 o'clock

The two of them had to take a bath to get themselves clean from the itching-powder, and had to do it fast; the rest of the ship is starting to wake up and all of them wants their breakfast in time. They took respectively a bucket of water and basically soaked themselves by dropping all the water over their heads at once. It was truly liberating for both of them to not have their whole skins itch like they were covered with ants.

Then they had to make the breakfast for a whole crew as fast as they could; they have lost precious time by this whole spectacle, and if the breakfast wasn't done in time a certain mutiny will occur. But John is particularly fussy over getting the captain her breakfast in time. Most of Silver's aggression is taken out on Jim, much to the teen's dismay. The whole catastrophe with the prank on the teen made John's mood cloudy, and to be late with giving the precious Amelia her breakfast doesn't add to it in a positive way.

The rest of the day goes by quite uneventful, most because of John's fear for something more to happen that might get wrong and somehow to finds himself more on the captain's bad side. Her breakfast did arrive late, and because of that she seems to be irritated and fast to anger the rest of the day. The memory of their "meeting" the day before is not helping to ease the captain's mood either, much to John's fear.

And if that wasn't enough, the bad spirit of Amelia today is also transferred to Mr. Arrow for some reason. John has not only one person to look out for, but got two. Silver knows that he somehow have himself to thank for starting the problem earlier that morning, but he refuse to blame himself for the WHOLE thing. It's all Jim's fault! _If that boy haven't nocked the jar down that shelf the breakfast would have been done in time._

To fuel his conviction Jim have made small remarks on the cook's fear of anger Amelia. Those remarks then grows to a whole line of vocalized theories of why the cook wants to stay on Amelia's good side, all in the name of irritating Silver.

* * *

Day 9, 19:12 o'clock

Morph observes the two people from the kitchen table, munching on one of those cookies it loves so. Jim and Silver is working with their own chores by their own ends of the room. They talked to each other, but it is mostly Jim speaking. Loudly.

"So," Silver hears with increasing irritation Jim say from the other side of the galley from a good moment ranting about the boy latest theory. "All in all, why you are scared of the captain is that you loooove her, isn't it?"

Putting down whatever he was doing and feeling his anger stretch to its limits, John has decided enough is enough. He had put up with this madness since the morning, and in a try to not let his anger overtake him John has tried to be patience with the teen. But it seems like if John doesn't put the foot down the theorizing will never end. Walking over to the boy with quick and brisk steps, Silver takes a hold of Jim's collar and shakes roughly.

"If you doesn't have a death wish you better stop with that, or I will hold you of the gunwale again," Silver threatens while looking Jim dead in the eyes while staying so calm and at the same cold as he possibly could. His robotic eye didn't even go the slightest red. "You seem on so much better behavior when dangling over a black, bottomless pit."

Morph makes a worried chatter from its seat on the table at John's hard words, a small crumble of the cookie left in its grasp. Nervously it looks on, uncertain of what John does. Jim's face pales greatly and quiets down immediately, much to John's relief. Finally some peace and quiet. But another little idea comes to mind by observing the teen's reaction. _It seems like something good came out of that with my overreaction; whenever I want the pup to do something I only need to mention the gunwale._

Not that the cook would do it again if the boy would disobey or misbehave, but it would be a good way to make Jim do what he was supposed to do. Silver lets go and let himself go back to his carefree behavior.

"Well, Jimbo, lad. No need to be lazy on the job. Go on with your duty," the cook says while continue with his own work. They are quiet for a while, Silver enjoying that it's finally silent. But not before long the teen has recovered himself and speaks up again. But it was not one of his theories or remarks, but a question of pure curiosity.

"Silver, what reason does a cook have itching-powder?"

John does a humming sound while thinking, not sure how to answer. He has to admit it is a good question. There is no real reason why a cook would have itching-powder, but would that be a good answer. Silver have reasons, but he doesn't want to say them to Jim.

"There is only one good reason on that," John says before giving Jim a mysterious smile. "And that is, my good boy, a reason I am willing to take to my grave."

* * *

**The inspiration of this chapter is yet again Wildartist4. Thanks, Wildartist4!**


	6. Day 10: John Silver, Stink-bomb

Day 10, 04:51 o'clock

It has come to some kind of routine with the mornings for the cook and his cabin boy on RLS Legacy. Firstly, Silver and Jim gets up (usually Silver first, who then wakes up Jim). Then they makes breakfast for the whole ship, and lastly they join the crew eating the breakfast. It have gone mostly unchanged, if you count out the occasional morning-pranks the two might pull off towards each other.

Therefor it is with surprise that this morning turns out far from normal. Instead of Silver have to wake Jim up, they and the rest of the crew comes back from unconsciousness of a loud argument from the deck above. When Silver and Jim emerges from below together with a few other crewmembers, they observes something they haven't expected to ever see: a highly enraged captain in a deep and sorely dispute with an equally angry Dr. Doppler.

"What do you mean 'it doesn't exist'?" Dr. Doppler questions with a frown. "Of course it exist!"

"It doesn't," the captain insists while she begins to walk over the deck towards the stairs leading up to the observation deck, a scowl on her face. "If it does, then why is it that I haven't seen it in all my years among the stars?"

"Because it's very rare," the doctor states while he follows Amelia.

"How rare, I may ask."

"You can spend a lifetime in space and yet never come upon it; it's THAT rare."

"Well, that's absurd. Something like that to be so rare; I don't believe it," the captain thinks, as she whips around on the highest step to face the doctor further down the stairs. She bare her catlike teeth. "I _can't_ believe it."

Jim looks up at Silver and Silver meets his eyes. Silver nods towards the two figures that disappears on the observation deck with a face full of wonder, silently asking Jim if he knows anything about this. Jim shrugs truthfully. Neither of them never would have figured that the doctor and the captain would spend time with each other, and for them to do so on such an early morning. Both the cook and the cabin boy knows that Delbert and Amelia doesn't like each other, so why do they spend time with each other at all?

It's much like to observe two animals that never would have to meet each other and that you would assume to be death-enemies to meet for the first time and both go "Meh, can be worse". In Dr. Doppler's and Amelia's situation a few fights and some disagreements the few first days have sent any friendly first relationship between them out the window. But have it changed? How would they ever be in such a conversation such as this?

If there ever is something such a WTF moment, then this is it for Silver and Jim. The same might probably be said for the rest of the crew, too.

* * *

Day 10, 10:11 o'clock

The scene earlier with the doctor and the captain is a faint memory in the back of Silvers head, the big cook is concentrating on the fiasco of a prank the day before. The outcome is nothing to speak of, and is something that he rather forget than anything. It is embarrassing, there is no way around the sad truth. But there is a way to make the situation turn around, and that is to make another prank and make sure not to get himself in the crossfire.

The next prank have already taken form in Silver's mind, and with a smile he prepares for it in secret in the galley. He have sent Jim to do some very time-consuming work in the form of a mop and a bucket of soapy water. Silver have also sent Morph with Jim for supervision, to make sure that the boy wouldn't sneak up on the preparations. Even if Silver would have kept the small blob in the galley, Morph would only flee in horror for the horrific smell coming from the cook's way.

What Silver is preparing is stink bombs. He doesn't do a very big dose, but yet the odor is still overwhelming. He himself have to struggle not to flee, the thought of how the cabin boy would react the only thing that encourages him to stay. His thoughts is interrupted by a chirp from above. As he looks up Silver sees a concerned Morph, the little thing observes him thru the wooden grid.

"There is no need to worry, Morphy," Silver reassures and smiles. "It might smell bad, but it does no harm in any way… except for your pride, maybe."

* * *

Day 10, 10:53 o'clock

One small bottle with the liquid is firmly secured in Silver's hand while he walks over the deck towards the cabin boy. Jim doesn't expect anything as he stands in a secluded area, on his way inside a door not far from the stairs leading to the observation deck. Morph is flying in circles around the boy's head, looking on when Jim is working.

Silver plans to swiftly and sneakily open the bottle and empty it into the bucket of water-and-soap-mixture Jim have in the bucket before the boy disappear behind the door. Then Silver would quickly take his leave. Nothing can go wrong with such an easy plan, right?

Only something did.

There is a small spot of soap-water on the floor that Jim haven't wiped up yet, a spot that John just happens to step on. Silver slips and loose his balance with a high swear, and in the fall he drops the bottle. The flask flies in a long and smooth curve up on the observation deck. As it shatters two voices cries out in surprise. The seconds after the crash the voices calls out in disgust from the smell. The cook cringes from where he have fallen on the floor when he immediately recognize one of the voices as captain Amelia.

"Wha… w-w-what is this bad smell?!" she asks loudly, clearly not pleased.

"I don't know," comes Dr. Doppler's reply, even less pleased than Amelia. "But whatever it is, it seems to come from what I'm covered with."

Silver finds small consolation that the flask didn't hit the captain, but it doesn't give him big comfort from the big mishap Silver just done. Glancing at Jim, the cook catches the boy right before the boy breaks down in what must have been one of his biggest laughing-fits in forever. Jim even lies down on the floor and rolls around in his uncontrollable laughter. Jim haven't really done anything this time, only to forget to wipe up some water properly, and yet he gets a show for a lifetime. The boy couldn't have been happier if he didn't have set this up himself. He didn't do it this time, however, as it all is Silver's work and a bit of bad luck.

Silver himself can only stare with a blank face, in utter disbelieve how this situation could have happened. For him this is much like a very bad joke that he haven't signed up for or couldn't have foreseen.

* * *

Day 10, 11:19 o'clock

Silver grumbles loudly for himself about the incredible bad luck stricken upon him and that the blame only can be put on Jim, the cook walks out of the captain's cabin after a very long and serious talk with Amelia. Dr. Doppler have been in the room with them, too, after he have taken the most painstaking bath the doctor ever taken. Mr. Arrow have been there in the back of the room at the captain's side, but there is no surprise there.

They have talked about the "accident" with the flask and its content; somehow, as he sputter with the explanation, with occasional compliments and to tell it a tiny bit incoherent, Silver have succeeded to convince all the present that it is just a freak accident. Or maybe not persuade, but rather insist. Amelia have first been reluctant to Silver's explanations and excuses as both Mr. Arrow and Dr. Doppler, but then gave in just to make the cook stop babbling even when she still isn't convinced. The two others disagrees at first of the captain's action, mostly Delbert as he is the victim of this whole "accident", but shuts up rather quickly after a hard look from the captain.

When Silver shuts the door after he have exit the cabin, Silver stands still and reflects on the situation. This run of bad luck is making him argue that maybe it is time to put a stop on the whole thing with the pranks. If not, there might be consequences when something like this happens again, only bigger. But then the whole journey would go back to be boring, with nothing to do than the work.

While the cook stands outside the captain's cabin he couldn't help to hear in on Amelia's and Delbert's conversation.

"I have never seen anything like this before," Amelia says in an apologizing tone. She sounds almost sincere, but not completely. "I have never smelled anything like this either."

"I can say the same," Dr. Doppler agrees, bitter over the whole thing.

"I swear, Silver and Jim is up to something. Like if they try to make fools of each other."

"Maybe you shouldn't have made Jim a cabin boy for Silver in the first place."

"Maybe."

It goes quiet for a moment before the conversation moves on to the subject this early morning: however a rare space phenomenon Delbert have read about is real or not. Amelia swears that it doesn't exist, while Delbert assures it does but only a few have seen it. Silver have no big interest in the subject for now and decides it is for the best to go back to the galley.

* * *

Day 10, 11:28 o'clock

"Hey, Silver."

The cook have just started with the lunch when the call makes Silver look towards the direction where Jim approach him from the stairs into the galley. The grin on the boy's face means only trouble.

"Nice throw," Jim simply says. He only earns a glare from Silver, probably the thing Jim is aiming for.

"Nothing else you want," the cook mutters.

"Nope."

In that moment the only thing John want to do is to strangle his cabin boy, but wouldn't. _Spoiled brat!_ "Help me with the food, your damn pup," Silver says instead.

* * *

**The idea with the stink bomb comes from judygumm. Thanks, judygumm! And thanks to you all for the reviews this far, really nice of you. I also want to remind you all out there that when it comes to ideas I really want them by PM (standing for Private Message) so it won't spoil for other readers.**

**A side note is that I have paid extra much time on verbs, to get them right and in the same tense on all of them in this chapter, namely the present tense. I have no idea if it have gotten less confusing for all of you or if A CERTAIN SOMEONE out there that have come to me concerning this is noticing it, but anyway.**

**A really short chapter, I know, but I guess that a few chapters will turn out that way. I don't really know what more to write into it. Sorry, I tried to get more into it, but I don't want to force it. I only want a chapter that shows what the heck Delbert and Amelia is doing at the same time as making an ass of Silver.**


	7. Day 12: Jim Hawkins, Eggs, Part 1

Day 12. 05:12 o'clock

Today Jim is greeted with a sight that he isn't expecting to see when he wake up this morning. A spaceport is making itself known, as it peeks from behind a moon that is circling a dark planet that looks dead and uninhabitable. Jim observes it, not able to look away from it in pure fascination. It's for good reasons, too.

The spaceport is constructed in a way that he wouldn't know to ever see. It is constructed by two main bodies; one is bagel-shaped while the other is a ball that is placed in the center of the hole of the first one. The two bodies are connected to each other with support-beams and bridges. It reminds Jim slightly as a small planet with a ring around it, much like Saturnus.

The ball is made almost entirely of glass, with a honey cake pattern of metal to support the weight and to allow the whole thing a ball-shape. The bagel looks like it is made of a metal framework that is slightly bended in a semicircle, with the curve of it going inwards towards the ball in the middle. On the face in the semicircle that is facing outwards there is at certain places a lustering great forest, and on others fields with different crops.

Standing there, watching it, Jim realizes that the spaceport is positioned in such a way that the broadsides is never facing the nearby sun's direction, so that at least half of the green covered semicircle is in the sunlight. A second thing he sees it that it is turning slowly around its own shoulder, so the sunlight reaches all the plants.

"It's impressive to look at, right, Jimbo?"

The sudden voice behind him makes the boy turn around mildly startled. There, right behind him, stands Silver. Morph is sitting on his shoulder and observes the spaceport, chirping at the sight. The cook looks up at the spaceport too, smiling. And if Jim's eyes aren't fooling him he is sure that there is a small glint of wonder in the cook's organic eye when looking up at the spaceport. _Is he as impressed with the sight as I am? Even when he surely have seen things like this a thousand times?_

"It's a sight to see," the cook goes on. "I can never remember its official name, but it's usually called the 'The Green Gem'. This spaceport is orbiting that moon, but it always stays in the lighted half of it. Why? Because of the food that they grow. It needs the sunlight, so they make sure that all the crops gets it."

Jim looks back at the spaceport, clearly impressed over what he sees. He have always been stuck back at Montressor, and many things out in the world that travelers thinks for nothing special therefor leaves a big imprint on him. He have never even been interested to read about them in books like Delbert, if they of course wasn't involved in some adventure book, like Captain Flint's stories.

"Are we to dock here?" Jim asks, the feeling of excitement to take a look around onThe Green Gem.

"Aye. It is our last stop before treasure planet," Silver answers when his cabin boy turns back to face him. "After this point there is no settlements of any kind, just barely to no charted stars. The only people we might meet is those on ships we eventually will come upon." The cook gets something mischievous in his organic eye when meeting Jim's sight. "Let us hope it will not be pirates. Ey, Jimbo, lad?"

The teen observes Silver a moment, not able to understand what the cook means. Neither does he understand the reason of the cook's expression either. But there isn't a long moment the teen have to think on it, as Morph gets off Silver's shoulder, approaches the teen and suddenly squirt water in the his face with a playful sound. Jim isn't ready for it and yelps. The two of them have become good friends and have played from time to time, but the blob have never done something like this before.

"Morph!" the teen exclaims. "What was that for?"

"What!" Morph mimics, and flies teasingly away. "What, what, what."

Jim turns his back to the spaceport to give chase as he calls after Morph to stop. Silver chuckles a bit when he sees the boy disappear.

* * *

Day 12. 06:02 o'clock

When the RLS Legacy have docked the cook and a few other crewmen are ordered to go get supplies from The Green Gem to restock food and other suppliesby the captain. Jim is exited to get of the ship after 2 weeks of have been trapped on the ship with only hard body labor, to stretch his legs as well as explore this new environment. Unfortunately, Silver gets hold of him before he is able to get of the ship, and the cook isn't late to give him enough chores onboard the ship to last the whole stay. And while the cook is at it he orders the teen not to go ashore.

"But come on, Silver. Why can't I get of the ship?" Jim asks annoyed for surely the one hundred and one time. Morph is circling around his head, wanting to play more.

"Because, Jimbo, if I let you off you will probably run away and find trouble. If you somehow by a miracle sent from heaven will stay out of trouble you will by all chance wander until you're lost."

While he explains his reasons, Silver stands with his arms crossed and his demeanor somewhere between stern and slightly irritated. After giving the same reasons to say no to a question that have been posed one hundred and one times anyone would be irritated. Some may even say that one hundred and one times is far too much. But if Silver are to describe Jim this is just typical for the boy, if the cook have learned anything from this two passed weeks.

"But if I won't get in trouble? And when have I ever got lost? Please!"

"Oh, by thunder!" the cook exclaims and throws his arms in the air, the last of his patience running out. "I know you where pigheaded, but not by this much. No! No, no, and a thousand times no!" To clarify his point, Silver pokes Jim in the forehead with his organic index finger. "You hear me in there? No!"

Jim waves the finger away and frowns. Jim glares at the cook as he wish that a look can kill if the wish is strong enough. When Silver turns his back towards the cabin boy, Jim gets an idea and smiles cunningly. Morph has by this time stopped flying in circles around his head and observes the teen, gives Jim a wondering chirp why he smiles before it follows Silver.

* * *

Day 12. 06:45 o'clock

Jim looks around to make certain that Silver is nowhere to be seen before he taps Dr. Doppler on the shoulder. The teen is surely to leave the ship and he is going to walk over the whole spaceport, with Silver's agreement or no. Jim is going to look at everything there is, and he is also to take a walk in the market. But what if he is to see something that he really want to have? He has no money to spend. But Delbert has, and to get it should be relatively easy.

"Do you any money I can have?" Jim asks when he has the doctor's attention.

"What are you to do with them?" Dr. Doppler wonders, but then the realization hits him. "Are you to go visit the market?"

"Yeah, exactly."

Delbert gets a suspicious look on his face. "You ARE allowed to leave the ship, are you?"

Jim grumbles inwards, and an imaginary palmis placed on his face. _Why does he need to assume that I'm not?_ "Yes, I AM allowed," he lies, both trying to sound truthful and not to show his deadpan look.

Delbert examines Jim thoroughly, probably in a try to see if the teen is telling the truth. Then the doctor sights and grabs for his wallet. "Promise me not to do anything stupid."

* * *

Day 12. 09:18 o'clock

"I'll show him," Jim grumbles low when he spies for other crewmembers on the open deck. A few of them are seen work with one thing or another, and to Jim's happiness they seem to be far to occupied to give any bigger notice. Slowly and as casual as he can, Jim edges to the plank that makes a small passageway to the free world. He only takes a few steps at a time before stopping to observe with unusual high interest in things like something over him in the sky or in what another in the crew does before he takes a few more steps.

Within two meters of the plank he bolts, and leaves the holding-cell that is named RLS Legacy for a good long time. It's roughly four hours before he comes back to the ship. He doesn't get lost, neither did he actively find himself trouble of any kind. To prove the cook wrong in his assumptions Jim is, for the longest time in his life, very mindful of where he is, of his surroundings and of his behavior.

There are many interesting things to look at, for example the strange area that makes the outer face of the bagel, with the big crop fields and the lustrous trees. It feels strange to stand in a semicircle; the shape looks wrong and unaccustomed. But the impressive thing that he discovers while he is there are the turret guns. They are mounted on strategic points on the bagel shape to repel pirates and to protect the spaceport. Even the big glass ball have some kind of turrets on the sides where it's not covered by the second body. From the outside, only the double-barreled elongated pieces is seen on both sides. Jim have not understood what those barrels what for from the outside.

But the exploration goes no without problems, even when Jim have avoided them as good as possible. As he wanders aimlessly, he is suddenly jumped by a gang. It is when the teen walks thru a scarcely crowded area when these three threatening people surrounds him from all sides.

"Give us all your money, boy," one of them demands, the leader if Jim is have a guess. "And anything else of value."

The species of the leader is unknown for the boy. The leader is of the shape of a scorpion, with three legs on each side to walk on, that are very short in comparison to his body. He have big and muscular grabbles as hands and have a stinger on the end of his tail that he have raised over his head, ready to strike. Jim wonders if the fang is filled with poison and what kind of poison it might be. The color of this scorpion leader is a brownish wine-red and his eyes are looking much like Scroop's in shape and color. He is wearing a sweater with red-and-white stripes and a brown jacket over it. And to top it all off, he is H-U-G-E. Maybe even bigger than Scroop and Silver, but only by a bit.

The other two in the gang are probably brothers, as they look much alike. Both of them are medium sized, and more human shaped. They have dark green leather skin with a pattern in a lighter green color. Their faces looks much like a pair of crocodiles, but more flattened around the jaw and nose. They have only three fingers on each hand and have each a tail, which moves slightly in a curve from their behinds. They are plainly dressed just like their boss, with simple colored sweaters, jackets and pants.

Jim looks at the leader uneasy, knowing that he is in trouble. The two others in the gang are closing in from behind. They chuckles and growls at the same time the scorpion takes a few threatening steps forward. The teen's eyes darts quickly over his surroundings. _Should I call for help? Or should I run away and try to shake the gang of?_

To his big happiness he sees a wagon filled of tools, tools specifically for doing work out on the crop fields, and of two farmers that are about to load the last few things on the wagon. It is standing with one of its broadsides towards Jim's and the gang's way, completely blocking of the smaller road it is standing in.

The leader is just a few steps from the teen and is ready to strike with his big claws and wit his fang at the ready over his head in case Jim is to do something suspicious. "Now, boy," the big scorpion demands again. "Or we will have to get rough with you."

"If you want my money you have to catch me first!" Jim smiles as he dashes away.

The scorpion springs forward and snaps his fangs shut just where the teen have been a second ago, and quickly follows by a strike with his fang after Jim. The two brothers runs after him right on his heels. But that is what the teen have guessed of them to do, and is a part of his plan. He runs right towards the wagon, and as Jim is right by it he dives under it and quickly gets up on the other side before resuming with the sprint.

The whole action only takes a small second due to his smaller and more agile young body and is hardly breaking a sweat. But it didn't go as smooth as he wanted, as he by accident hits his arm quite hard on the road when getting under the wagon. The two followers aren't as small and hardly as agile, so they couldn't possibly fit. And not quick to slow down either it seems, as both of them tries to stop but instead stumbles right into the wagon. The high sound of the crash when they make contact brings a smile of sweet victory to Jim's face.

"Get back here," Jim hears the scorpion call after him. He spies over his shoulder and sees that the scorpion now is sprinting after the teen, but because of the leader's short legs he couldn't run that fast. Jim also sees that the wagon have tipped over and that the two brothers have a hard time to get on their feet again. Smiling even wider, Jim goes ahead to blend in amongst the crowd of people ahead.

When he comes to the market at last he goes ahead and looks around on what there is. He gets time to inspect the area on his arm where he hit it on the road earlier, and sees to his dismay and irritation that it have turned to a nasty blue mark, with some of the skin scraped off. It hurts by the simplest touch.

After some time of just walking around the market his eyes finally rests on these eggs that are being sold by a breeder. He hears from the breeder that the eggs are close to hatch. That's when Jim gets an idea for the next prank on Silver. When Jim shows interest the breeder goes ahead and tells him that the eggs are laid by a common flying creature that are small in size and looks to be closely related to bats. They are considered by many as vermin because of how adaptable they are, how easy and fast they breed and to spread over big areas, and that they don't have much use to everyone. Or almost everyone, as a few sees this animal as a delicacy to eat.

By the time he comes back to the ship much later from when he went away Jim has the biggest grin on his face. In a small box, in a maze of soft pieces of cloth, are half a dozen eggs.

* * *

Day 12. 14:44 o'clock

Jim knows where Silver keeps the regular eggs, the ones that the cook serves to the crew at times. In fact, eggs are one of the many items that John are assign to restock in his visit to 'The Green Gem'. The question is how Jim can do his prank of placing his fertilizes eggs amongst the regular ones when the teen are in the middle of getting a scolding of Silver. Of course, the cook have somehow got wind of Jim's little exploration. Fortunately Jim is able to hide away the box with his eggs before Silver gets a hold of him for the scolding.

"Do I have to lock you up to make you stay in one place?" Silver begins, angry and with his mechanical eye orange. Jim concludes that he isn't completely furious but only angry to a degree, by the color of the robot eye and of the cooks tone and behavior. "I told you, and I told you specifically, not to leave the ship."

They are both down in the galley, with Jim sitting by the table and Silver standing up. The cook is blocking the teen from leaving, as he have strategically stationed himself between the boy and the stairs.

"But I didn't get in trouble!" Jim exclaims, angry that Silver is making a big thing over something that he himself considers as nothing special. He haven't shown the injury he has on his arm from the chase, neither have he said anything about the incident. "Neither did I get lost!"

"That's not the point. You disobeyed a direct and clear order. If I tell you to stay put, you stay put. Got it?"

"But I-," Jim tries to put in but are cut of immediately.

"No! Don't even try to come with explanations. You went behind my back. The only way I found out of your little adventure is just because that doctor said something about it when I came onboard." There is a small pause where Silver contemplates something. "You know, that with locking you up might not be such a bad idea…," he trails of.

Jim's anger flares at this point. _Not allowed to leave the ship? How cruel can Silver get?_ The teen have been trapped on this ship for 2 weeks and it will continue for he don't know how long. That spaceport is the perfect break from it all. And Delbert? It all thanks to Delbert that the teen is having this conversations now. Never did he plan that the doctor would tell the cook about his whereabouts. The thought only makes Jim angrier.

"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" The teen screams furiously and stands up.

The sudden outburst from the teen is anticipated and Silver stands strong, not moving an inch. "I bloody am, Jimbo."

"You never let me do something like this. Never!"

"And there is also a reason for that."

"What reason?"

"That chat can we have when you calmed down and thought about what you done. By that time, there are job to do." Silver points towards the stairs down to the galley, which is clear a silent command to get down there and to start working. "I also want you to think on the concept of 'doing what you're told'."

Jim haven't scowled as hard in his life; his face feels like it is more angry wrinkles than skin. Instead of walking towards the stairs, the teen stands there and stares back up at John.

"Get to it, Jimbo," Silver urges, his face getting even sterner and with his hand still in the air.

Jim have gotten enough of it. The constant bossing around, the never ending list of chores and now to put up with John for something as trivial.

"A few. Hours. Of. The boat," Jim is able to get out from between his clenched teeth. "All I wanted was a few hours of the boat."

While speaking, a primitive urge takes a hold of Jim that grew with every word. Something snaps inside him then and there, and without thinking he raises his hand. With a clenched fist that the teen never know he have made he takes a blind swing, with all his anger behind it. The hit makes contact with Silver's big stomach. The hit isn't anticipated by Silver, and he flinches when some of the air in his lungs is forced out.

Jim stands there, still holding his fist in the air in front of him, his face twisted in anger. The hit have felt good, as there have been many times when he have wished he did it but never have it in him to do so. And now he have done it.

He have hit him. The fist goes down to his side and relaxes. He actually have hit him. His face goes blank as the realization finally sinks in.

"I… I-I-I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to… Silver?"

A red laser hones in on the teen's face, and he can't help himself to think on the memory of Silver that holds him over the gunwale, and the threat to let go.

* * *

**Credits to Wildartist4 for the idea with the eggs, and the same goes propably with the next chapter.**

**Oh, and by the way, CLIFFANGER!**


	8. Day 12: Jim Hawkins, Eggs, Part 2

Day 12, 14:52 o'clock

_He really locked me up. I can't believe that he really locked me up._ The memory of how Silver, his mechanical eye that still have shined red from anger, have half dragged half carried Jim by the back of the collar down the stairs of the galley and to shut the teen into a barrel. There is a hole in one of the planks that is big enough for the boy to look out thru. That hole is the only opening that allows fresh air and light to come in where he sits, and is the only window to peek thru out into the world outside.

The opening of the barrel is blocked by another barrel filled with fruits, fresh from "The Green Gem". It is impossible for Jim's skinny teenage body-mass to move aside; he have plainly not enough muscles to get it out of the way. _Who knew that a barrel full with fruits could weigh so much? Must be all the water._ He have tried for hours, but to no avail. After all this time waiting inside that barrel he have noticed that there is not much to do in such a small space. He can only sit there, waiting for something to happen.

He crosses his fingers that the eggs hasn't cracked open yet, and that they wouldn't do it in the next few hours. And also that no one finds them. He wishes for Silver to come and let him out soon, as he feels a numbing pain from his back and legs from sitting cramped down for so long. There is one thing that he have discovered when he have remained seated there, isolated and not able to do anything is that time can really stretch out when you are bored.

While he sits there, Jim thinks back on what he did towards Silver. And he feels bad for it. He knows that he shouldn't have done it, but at the time he had been so angry and frustrated. He couldn't keep a lid at it, and it all have gotten too much.

* * *

Day 12, 16:46 o'clock

A sullen look is all it takes for Jim to get the idea: do not say a word, not a single word. That is the message Silver gives him when the cook finally decides to let him out of the barrel. The teen's legs and back didn't want to obey him at first from the long time cramped up, and it takes a good long while to get them under control again. But in time, he could walk normally again

A bowl of food is then placed at Jim's usual spot on the table. The teen seats himself while Silver gets himself some food from the same pot. Then the cook seats himself, too, in front of the teen. They eat in silence, not even sharing a glance. They only look down at what's in front of them and concentrates on the food. The air grows chill, even chiller than usual when the day begins to go towards its end. The time even seems to move slower now than from when Jim have been stuck in the barrel, which makes him uncomfortable.

"You can forget the chores tonight," comes Silver's voice suddenly with a sullen voice, and Jim looks up.

"What?" the teen asks, mildly baffled.

"I said you can forget the chores tonight," the cook repeats, now a bit irritated.

Jim stares. He first thought to ask why, but stops himself right after opening his mouth to ask the question. To ask about it is unnecessary, it is surely it is something about the teen hitting him earlier. It got to be.

* * *

Day 12, 17:17 o'clock

For the first time since coming onboard on the RLS Legacy Jim don't know what to do. He couldn't come up with anything that he could entertain himself with. He has the eggs that he bought. They still haven't cracked open, by the way. So Jim still have time to execute the prank, but now when Silver seems so sullen the prank seems to not be worth doing; it would probably make things several times worse than usual. Jim guesses that Silver really would throw him over the gunwale. And another thing is that Jim would just feel bad to prank the cook now, something that the teen never thought that he could do._ I don't care about him, do I?_

He decides to just move the eggs with their box from the old hiding place and to put them somewhere in the galley for now. Not among the other eggs that is for the crew's food, but by some other boxes so they won't rouse suspicion.

Jim reluctantly finds himself feeling sorry for Silver, and thought that the two of them might need to talk. If it now where about what happened earlier today, or just talk about anything else. So the teen begins to actively look for Silver, and it takes a while to find him. The cook aren't in the galley, where he usually is and works, and at first the teen thought that John wasn't on top deck either. But in the end Jim finds him in the front of the ship, at the bow. Silver just stands there and looks out at the stars.

Jim stands there for a while and quietly observes Silver to a start. Then he walks closer and joins in to look at the stairs, too. The boy isn't sure if he should speak up, stand there quiet or just walk away. He gets tempted to walk for away a moment when he couldn't even come up with where he should begin. But he stays, as he feels that his guilt will only grow if he were to leave now. The silence stretches on. Jim feels ever more that he should get going, to say something.

"You alright?" Jim begins meekly and passive, and figures that he will either get a hit in the stomach or just more silence. Instead Jim sees from the corner of his eye that Silver gives the teen a kind of astonished face. He observes the teen as his face goes from astonishment to one of thought. Then goes back to look out on the stars.

"No, I'm not," the cook answers truthfully, and, to Jim's big surprise, a bit guilty. _What have he to be guilty over? I hit HIM._ Jim gets honestly curious.

"You want to talk about it?"

Silver takes a deep breath. Jim can hear that there is something grave with this breath, a level of seriousness that Silver haven't used up to this point. The cook have been serious before, but not that much or very often. The cook then breathes out, and speaks up about what's troubling him.

"I overreacted today, and I admit it to be wrong. I feel bad about it, but that I overreacting is not the main reason for it." Silver pauses for just a moment. "It's what I almost did instead."

The teen is quiet for a moment. A shiver works its way up his back of what the cook might have in mind. "What did you almost do instead?" he asks in a low voice and faces Silver, so that the teen could look at him. John then turns too to look him right in the eyes with a serious look, much like his earlier deep breath.

"I almost hit you back, with everything I got," Silver explains. Jim almost said _"so what, why didn't you?"_ with the thought that he himself surely have deserved to be hit back, but Silver didn't give him a chance when the cook speaks again. "Do you know how hard I can hit when I'm angry? You don't want to know, Jimbo. And I wouldn't have stopped after that first hit either. I would probably have kept going until you wouldn't move."

There is a short pause where the information sinks in. "Oh…," is the only thing Jim is able to say to it. What are you supposed to say to something like that?

Silver looks away towards the stars far in front of the bow. "When I get really angry I can lose it sometimes, do things that I otherwise doesn't want to do and might regret afterwards. It's like all my sense and awareness of my actions disappears."

Jim observes Silver, knowing that the cook feels sorry about this. The teen is a bit uncertain about what he himself should feel about this situation, though. Should he feel sorry for Silver? He is the enemy in the 'prank war' after all, and a big irritation and nuisance otherwise. Why should Jim care about Silver's feelings? The teen doesn't even like him, right? _I don't, do I?_

"This isn't the first time it happened since we took off, either." Silver looks back at Jim again, still with those grave eyes. "Back when I hold you over the gunwale I was very close to let you go. You don't know how close it was."

Jim doesn't move or make a sound for several seconds. The teen can't help about the cold knot in his stomach, a queasy feeling that have spread thru his entire abdomen. He knew that Silver can, and often will, get rough when angry. ESPECIALLY when Jim pushes him as he does at times. But Jim has thought that with the gunwale have been a radical way of John showing what he thought about people that makes fun of him in front of the captain. That he won't tolerate it. But Silver wouldn't have dropped him for real, right? _Right?_

"Okay," Jim is able to get out, unsure.

"What am I to do? What if I do something these days that is catastrophic?"

There is a pause, where Jim thinks. "I don't know," he truthfully answers. "But what I DO know is that you didn't drop me, you pulled me up on the ship. And you didn't hit me, either, you locked me up in an empty barrel. So I don't think you have anything to worry about."

Silver observes the teen a moment, as if thinking on what Jim have said. Then he breaks a smile and he seems to gets a little happier. The graveness in his eyes disappears, and goes back to usual. "Truth is, Jimbo," Silver goes on. "I don't really want to hurt anyone." He walks up to Jim and puts a finger on the teen's forehead, pushing lightly. "Especially a kid that doesn't know how to pick a fight."

Jim waves the finger away and frowns. The cook sometimes does that, often when he thinks that Jim either have a thick skull that doesn't let much in or have not much in the skull to begin with. The teen has trouble seeing the need of such an act in this situation.

Suddenly Silver halts and furrows his brow. He takes hold of Jim's arm and takes a better look at the teen's arm, close to the elbow. Jim is first confused of what the cook is looking at, then he realizes. The scrape wound! Jim doesn't have his jacket on and he have the arms on his sweater rolled up to right under the elbows, so there isn't much that conceals it. The blue mark that surrounds it draws only more attention to it. And now, when he waved the finger away, Silver must have gotten a glimpse of it.

"Jimbo, what is this?"

"Nothing, really," Jim tries calmly in an attempt to shrug it off as nothing special. "Got it earlier from when I did some work."

"Work, ey? I thought that you were out on the spaceport for most for the day." And like that, Silver have called his bluff.

_Damn._

* * *

Day 12, 17:29 o'clock

Silver have insisted that he are to patch up Jim's arm, and by insisting he pretty much forced the teen down the galley and made the boy sit and wait by the table. The cook himself goes to get some antiseptic, a cloth and a sticking plaster.

"I'm serious," Jim says when Silver enters the galley with the items. "I'm fine. I don't need it."

"Oh, shut your yap and let me take care of this," the cook orders simply and takes a seat beside the teen on the same side on the table. John puts some antiseptic on the cloth, takes hold of Jim's arm with one hand and gently presses the fabric on the wound, everything done in one quick motion.

The sudden sting makes Jim give a small jolt and a hiss. The sting slowly sinks away into a throbbing feeling, but then Silver moves the cloth and the sudden sting comes back. "OW!" Jim speaks, and gives the cook a glare. "Careful!"

But Silver only mutters low, highly concentrated on what he is doing, as he not even heard. The cloth moves again and again, not caring for any of the teen's objection. Jim finds though that the sting grows weaker with every time the clothe moves, and left is the throbbing.

"Thanks," Silver utters in a low voice after a few seconds of silence. "For that back there. I really needed to talk to someone."

"Don't mention it," Jim replies. Then the room goes back into silence for another moment. But not after long John speaks up again.

"I guess that you meet someone when you were out there," he suddenly states when he puts down the cloth and reaches for the sticking plaster, some of that seriousness returning. "Someone that you might have needed to get away from."

"Yeah, I did. But I got away." Then the teen gives a small chuckle when he remembers how two of the three crooks ran into the wagon. "Man, you should have seen them. I scrambled under this wagon and-"

An unapprovingly stare from the cook shuts the teen right up in the middle of the sentence. The sticking plaster is in place, but even when it's done Silver doesn't rise. He sits where he sits, while he looks the boy in the face in a serious manner. It is clear that the cook isn't done talking, and that the boy is supposed to be remained seated to hear him out. Jim suspects that a second scolding about leaving the ship is surely on its way.

The earlier knot that Jim have felt to disappear comes back, but not to the same extent. Even when Jim usually doesn't takes Silver's scolding that serious, but mostly gets angry and snaps back, the act he did during the last scolding earlier today is still fresh in his mind. Jim unwillingly stays where he is, what he really wants is to walk away and to leave this uncomfortable knot in his belly behind.

For once, Jim is ready to receive the scolding without complains or argues.

"About that reason why I didn't want you to get of the ship," Silver goes on, not raising his voice or even sound angry, only grave. "It is that 'The Green Gem' can be a very dangerous place. It is notorious to have criminal gangs roaming around."

"There is?"

"Yes. And those criminals can surely see that you are an easy target from miles away the moment they lie their eyes on you, and those that jumped you did just that. There were no coincident that you got attacked."

Jim takes that information a bit personal. _Me? Easy target? No way!_

"And it doesn't stop there," Silver continues. "More cooperative ones have their own businesses and have actual power. Few, a very few, can even affect the local government and the decision they make."

Jim takes a moment to let it sink in. He stares at Silver, scarcely believing it. A space station that has such powerful crooks and isn't completely ruined?

"There is a fine line between order and criminal activity at this space station, Jim. These bad people in their high places always calculates their crimes so they get what they want at the lowest risk. In order to go thru with them they can use loopholes in the laws, change the laws themselves or simply handle it in the dark by bribing people to make them look away."

"No," Jim frowns. He have a hard time believing it.

"It is true. Those that tried to rob you where surely some lowlife scoundrels, but consider yourself lucky that it wasn't anyone worse."

There are a pause where none of them speaks. Jim observes the cook, who observes back.

"Do you understand what I'm telling you?" Silver asks. "Do you understand why I didn't want you there?" Jim nods. "Do you also understand that when I tell you to do something you better do it?" Jim nods again. "Then I hope that you do it the next time."

There is another pause. Jim comes to think on his earlier irritation on the cook, how the teen always seen him as some kind of enemy. Jim knows that Silver have regarded the boy the same way. Or at least Jim thought he know. Then to learn that the very same person cares enough to try to keep Jim from these harmful people. _Silver might not be such a bad guy when it comes to it._

Jim then smiles, deciding it is high time to lift the serious mood to some more pleasant one. "What, you telling me that I have no choice?" he asks jokingly.

Silver breaks his usual grin, probably also deciding that it was enough scolding for one day. "Well, you always have a choice, Jimbo," he replies in the same fashion, rises from the desk and prepares to walk away. "But the question is if you are smart enough to make the right one. And what I have seen of you so far I highly doubt it."

When Silver have just said the last word something unexpected happens, almost if it are one queue. Faint cracking sound is heard from some stacks of boxes. Both of them freezes where they are and looks towards the boxes, Silver in curiosity and Jim in realization. And not before long they could hear sounds from new-hatched bat-like creatures.

One of them pokes out of the box. With eyes that are enormous compared to its body size, barely capable to open them, the small creature observes them. It is pink, hairless and incredibly small. It have small wings, but they are way too small to bear it. And it doesn't have too much muscles. Jim suspects that all this will chance when it grows up, though.

For a second Silver only stares at the small creature. Then he turns and looks suspiciously on Jim. "Really?" the cook asks with a brow perked up and points at the small bat-creature. "Was this what you left the ship for? To buy these?"

"Not when I actually left, but anyway..." Jim is a little disappointed. This wasn't really how he have imagine it to go with this prank. In his mind it would have been more planned.

"And what will you do with them now? Have you thought about that?" Jim hears on Silver that the cook have gotten mildly annoyed.

Jim stays quiet for several seconds; he have truthfully not given that a single thought. _What to do with them?_ "Maybe we can sell them back to the breeder I bought them from," he suggests.

"I don't think so," Silver speaks and shakes his head. "People on this spaceport do no returns, no way, no how."

Now it's time for Jim to get a little annoyed. "I don't know what to do with them. Can't we have them on the ship?"

"And who will take care of them? I surely aren't." Then Silver brightens up, as if a brilliant idea have hit him. He smiles a smugly grin. "But I know who can."

"Who?"

"I'm looking at him."

And so, Silver have turned Jim's prank into a punishment.

* * *

**In this chapter I tried to have their first REAL father/son moment. I don't know how good I did it, but I hope it turned out to your liking.**

**As I wrote in the chapter before this, Wildartist4 gets the credits for this chapter.**

**Happy Halloween!**


	9. Day 14: John Silver, Bats and Fishes

Day 14, 05:01 o'clock

_What a mad day it was two days ago._

Silver couldn't recollect many other days that could beat what happened that day; it have been absolute awful. Not only have he realized that he have begun to really like the boy, even how much trouble the damn pup have been to him, but Silver have also basically told Jim about it. The cook have never meant to go and befriend him, the sod couldn't get more on his nerve.

Silver should be able to throw Jim over the gunwale without a second thought, he should be able to hit the boy bloody without guilt, and he should be able to move on with his life afterwards. Only he wouldn't. He would give a second thought and he would feel a tiny bit of guilt. If there is something he have learned in his life, it is there is a big difference of what someone should do and would do.

Before the whole voyage he surely haven't hesitate into doing the boy harm. How could this have change in only a little over two weeks? _Unbelievable. It's just unbelievable._ Silver curses himself for feeling this way. The boy is nothing but that, a boy. A bloody whelp that doesn't know what's what. Silver have no obligation to help or protect this boy really; if Jim goes into the fire even when warned, then let him.

Silver only begins to understand that so much can go wrong with this. As he tells himself that he has nothing for the boy, Silver swears that he only shows patience with the teen to avoid the displeasure of Amelia.

He should, anyway.

* * *

Day 14, 05:05 o'clock

Silver goes down to the room with all the hammocks to wake Jim up for the day as usual. But when the cook comes a few steps from the boy's hammock he stops. When he looks at the figure that sleeps peacefully in the hammock the conflicting feelings comes up to the surface again, and it annoys him to no end. To come to think of this subject every time he sees the teen are be a torture. How Jim could irritate Silver even without doing anything only adds to it.

It is a strange mystery that shouldn't exist in the first place. It really shouldn't, but yet there it is. And Silver couldn't do anything about it. All this makes Silver not look much forward to the rest of the day. Or the rest of the journey, for that matter. It only adds another bad thing to complain about.

Just standing there and make a silent scowl towards the hammock, Silver doesn't want to wake Jim up. _Maybe… a good prank can make up for it. It will surely be a good laugh._ A smug grin spreads over his face and he goes quickly prepare a rude awakening for his cabin boy. Only ten minutes later is he back with the broom that is usually used to clean the deck with.

On the tip of it is a shaft is a string attached, and on the other end of the string hangs the head from a newly beheaded fish creature. Standing as far away from the hammock that the broom allows, Silver holds it over Jim's head and lets the fish hover over him with only a few centimeters to spare.

By getting forth his retractable clamp from his tool-hand-thing, Silver carefully nudges the hammock and the sleeping figure in it. Jim gives a half-awake moan and twists ever so slightly in his sleep from the intrusion. The cook gives another nudge, a bigger one this time, and absolutely beams of anticipation when he sees the cabin boy awake.

Jim twists and turns his body to stretch out his muscles after a long, deep sleep, still with his eyes closed. But then he opens them up into thin lines, his face in a sleepy frown. He caught eye of the sigh hanging in front of his face, and for a second there is just silence. Then there is a short cry, a wild flailing and a muffled thump when Jim falls out of his hammock.

John Silver couldn't contain his laughter, even though the rest of the sleeping crew wakes up and speaks their mind about being woken up on this ungodly early hour.

* * *

Day 14, 05:11 o'clock

Teens usually have enough energy to be up for two days and two nights in a row if you don't preoccupy them with some hard work. It is a fact that have lived with Silver for a long time, even when he haven't got the chance to interact with that many teenagers. He sure remembers how it have been when he himself were young. Jim have only proved it from the day the two of them met, and every day thereafter. And every day Silver have made sure to send his cabin boy to bed completely exhausted.

But today, however, Jim have made himself exhausted almost entirely by himself. It's all thanks to the six creatures he bought two days ago, who needs surprisingly much attention even though they are newborn. Jim have gotten advices from Doppler, who seems to have read a thing or two of the species and how they care of their young. It seems that they are very sensitive when it comes to their body temperature, witch mean that they need heat or they risk to freeze to death.

The parents provides the heat in the form of their own body heat, so it is essential that one of them always stays at the nest while the other is out in the world to hunt. Now, Jim is the only one that can provide his body heat. But Silver doesn't allow the teen to slack off from all the chores only to cuddle with some bat babies. The solution to the problem would come from Silver himself, and he himself is tremendously happy to have come up with this idea; a pouch are to be strapped closely around the teen's chest where the bats could lies nestled in while Jim gets his hands free to work.

Another thing that the bats needs is to be feed with insects once every hour, at day well as night. Silver is able to capture some insects with the help of traps, but to feed them to the bats is all up to Jim. So every hour the teen are to take a five minutes break to feed them, which he has nothing against. It is worse when it comes to the nights, though. Silver only smiles when he comes to think of how Jim must wake up several times at night only to give six small bats food and then sleep for another hour to wake up again. _That is not my problem, only his. After all, it was he who bought them._

With nights filled with several interruptions in his sleep cycle, and with a pouch that he have to carry with him everywhere (even when he lies in his hammock to sleep), Jim is always exhausted nowadays. His eyes are bloodshot, he bumps into things, he fumbles, he drops things and he nearly falls asleep every time he sits down. Silver almost feels sorry for him… almost.

The bats have all been given names by Jim, and Silver is astonished that the teen is able to see all the bats apart from one another and to keep track of them. The names is as follows: there is Lit'l Jim, after Jim himself; Flint, after the great pirate Nathaniel Flint; Trove, from some kind of gag that Silver doesn't quite get from the term "Flint's trove"; Jokes, as the bat with the name likes to play around, but Silver usually says Jap instead; Plum, as the bat with the name has a great love to plums; and lastly there is Star, after the sight that is always present in the sky above the ship.

_So… Lit'l Jim, Flint, Trove, Jap, Plum and Star,_ Silver summarizes as he sits at the table down in the galley and observes the six naked and pink little bats that are fed their breakfast by a drowsy Jim. The bats have grown a bit since Jim have bought them from that breeder, and their eyes isn't poking out of their skulls as much as they did before. They can even open them completely now, too.

The teen's own breakfast is in a bowl by the side of the sixlings, still untouched and waits to be eaten.

* * *

Day 14, 13:32 o'clock

There hasn't happened much as most of the day has gone by. Silver have given Jim a list of things that are to be done shortly after breakfast, and the boy are off to do them. Silver himself have been down in the galley most of the day.

Suddenly the cook hears footsteps from the stairs. He turns around, and to his surprise he sees Dr. Doppler approaching with the pouch with the bat-creatures around his chest. By the look on the doctor's face it isn't a friendly visit, as the doctor looks stern and a bit angry.

"My best mister Silver," Dr. Doppler greets short. "Please tell me, are you completely heartless?"

There is a small pause. Silver is mildly stunned by the question, but regains himself quickly. "What do you mean?" the cook frowns.

"I mean," Dr. Doppler goes on to explain, "letting young Hawkins work in the state he is in?"

"Oh, that." Silver turns back to his work, but he doesn't drop the conversation. "Well, I can't see any wrong with it."

"It is inhuman; he clearly needs sleep."

"And he gets sleep, only not as much that he is used to."

Delbert makes a hump, accompanied with a grimace. Silver couldn't see the grimace as he had his back towards the doctor at the time, but the cook could imagine it. "It is not enough sleep, Silver, trust me on that. He needs a break."

Silver shrugs, as to show that he doesn't think of it as a big thing. "If he haven't bought those bats in the first place he wouldn't be thru this trouble. He brought it on himself over a tasteless prank that he didn't even go thru with."

"A prank that you encouraged."

At this Silver turns towards the doctor with an eyebrow raised. "Encouraged? How have I encouraged anything?"

"By pranking back. One prank leads to another prank, which leads to another prank."

Silver studies Delbert closely, intrigued at the conversation they are having. John have known that Jim would surely prank the cook now and then, and it have always been obvious to prank back. But he did not really understand or even given a thought of that he himself could have encouraged Jim to prank. "Really?" Silver asks, intrigued.

"Yes, really," Delbert says. "I have no bigger problem with these pranks, as long as they are kept under control. But when it leads to these kind of consequences it goes over the line of being acceptable."

Silver frowns a bit at that. Suddenly he doesn't like where this is going.

"I have brought this up to the captain's attention this morning," Dr. Doppler continues. "She dismissed it, saying that you two should take what comes to you when doing such childish acts. I disagree."

"I could have guessed that you do."

"That's why I have taken the matter into my own hands and sent Jim back to his hammock."

Now both Silver eyebrows goes up in chock. "You did what?"

"You heard me. I have also decided to take care of the bats while Jim rests himself up."

_Oh, that's why he have the pouch._ Silver feels himself getting a bit angry. "By making Jimbo take care of those bats I try to teach him a valuable lesson. He went behind my back, so he should have the bats until they are fully grown." Silver goes ahead and points towards the pouch, which is still securely strapped around Delbert's chest. "Now you have gone and undone it all."

"No, I haven't. He have gotten the lesson alright. But taking care of these infants are a tedious job, and to push Jim this way for a longer period while he cares for the bats are completely unnecessary."

Silver only gets angrier. But what could he do about it? It all have been done already without his knowledge or consent; Jim is already in his hammock full asleep and Delbert is in the possession of the bats.

"I just wanted to bring this up and let you know that I won't tolerate this behavior, whatever the captain may think about it," Dr. Doppler ends. And with that the doctor turns and walks out of the galley.

Left is a pissed of Silver, which are mildly surprised over the conversation he just had.

* * *

Day 14, 14:40 o'clock

There have only been an hour or so since the talk to Delbert, and since then Silver have contemplated about the discussion between them. The cook has realized that the doctor might have a point; Silver wants the teen exhausted, not almost dead to the rest of the world. So Silver has decided that Jim might have some extra slack until the bats grown into adulthood.

By thinking on this Silver has unintentionally gone back to the memory of when Jim hit him in the stomach. The hit that he got from the kid wasn't the hardest one Silver gotten in his days, as it comes from a skinny teenager. But it have still been quite hard, and, most of all, unexpected. The anger behind the words before the hit have made the cook cringe a bit on the inside, but the cook didn't let it show at the time.

But his own anger that he experienced after that hit have come raging forward, without any halt or falter. That he can flare up so fast and without any control can scare the cook at times afterwards, but in the heat in the moment there is no clarity in his mind. Only an anger that has barely any limit.

The cook have thought good and hard on it, mostly while Jim spent the time in the barrel, about his behavior. But it is in this moment that Silver swears to himself that he would never let that anger take control him. Not in that way.

* * *

Day 14, 14:55 o'clock

Silver goes down to the rom with the hammocks the second time this day. He is looking for Jim, and this is the first place he looks for him. He is pleased to see that the teen is still in his hammock, still napping.

The cook approaches and shakes Jim lightly, as he wants to talk with the boy.

"What?" Jim asks with a sleepy voice with his eyes still shut.

"Jimbo, wake up. I want to talk with you."

The teen comes around and sits up in his hammock. He looks a bit better compared to this morning; what Silver can see the teen has gotten all the rest he needs.

"Jimbo, you feel any better?"

The teen nods while rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Good. I want you to know that you from now on can come down here and take a nap now and then until the bats have grown up."

Jim looks baffled up at Silver. "Really?"

Silver nods, and gives a small smile. "Yeah, I figured you need it now more than ever. I have also talked a bit with Delbert, he has agreed to babysit them from time to time," the cook goes on.

"He have?"

"Yes, lad, he have. In fact, he have given me a small scolding today about this."

Jim gets a serious face. "He?" Silver nods again. "HE have scolded YOU?" Silver gives a small laugh, giving a third nod. "You aren't kidding with me, are you?"

"No, I'm not kidding. He have really scolded me."

There is a small pause. "Well… that's a surprise," Jim admits, honestly surprised.

Silver is as surprised as Jim; Delbert is extremely docile and not at all dominant in any way. He have probably not given many scoldings in his life. But apparently he is angry enough about what Silver makes Jim do that he felt forced to do something about it.

"All in all, Jimbo, I might have been a little too hard on you. You have probably gotten the message by now."

"You can say that again," is all Jim says.

* * *

**Hohoho, merry christmas to you all. This is my christmas present for all of you.**

**A thanks to Xiaolin Showdown Fan12345 for advising me to look up "list of pranks" on the internet or I wouldn't have found the prank with the fish-head. It comes from that typical prant of people putting fake spiders right besides the faces of other sleeping people, then only wake them up and laught at the reaction of the spider.**

**And a special note to "some guest", yes, I will continue this story. It is in progress, only a very slow progress.**


	10. Day 17: John Silver, Helium and Hiccup

Day 17, 04:58 o'clock

Silver observes the small creatures on the table in front of him. They have now grown to double their original size from when they hatched. They can also walk around by themselves, and they shows this by following Jim, whenever the teen allows them to move freely over the floor. Short fur have also come up around their backs, and their leathery wings and the rest of their bare skin starts to get a darker color. They have not retained the ability to fly, though, as their wings and their muscles haven't grown enough. They have gotten their claws on their hands and feet, tiny little things that are to be used to clime objects and to grab prey.

Something that amuses Silver is that the bats at many times climes upwards Jim's pants with their tiny and newly evolved claws and rests there to get a free ride when the teen is far too occupied to pick them up himself. And doing so, while not knowing their increasing strength and the lack of coordination very young have, they sometime scratches the naked skin that hides underneath the fabric. This is one of those moments, in a matter of fact, as Silver and Jim have their breakfast down in the galley.

"Ow!" Jim frowns, still a bit tired from an early awakening, as Star begins the climb. "Ow, ow, ow. Star, stop that." The teen goes to sit at the table and puts his bowl with his breakfast down before he reaches down for the bat. He carefully gets Star's small claws out of the fabric of his shank. The bat is then put on top of the table, where Trove and Plum already are. Plum is busy eating the fruit that it have been named after, all the while Trove sniffs at the scene suspiciously.

"Do you have a hard time to keep order on them?" Silver can't stop to ask in good humor, as he smiles at the fact that Jim is still being punished for something that happened days ago.

The teen gives him a little glare, and scowls. "You telling me that you can relate? Otherwise you can be quiet."

"Now, now, I didn't mean anything by it." Silver smiles and puts his hands in front of him in a surrendering manner. "I only mean that annoying teenagers and noisy brats can be quite a handful."

"Which category do I get to be?" Jim looks suspiciously at the cook. "Annoying teenager or noisy brat?"

"Ah, choose your pick," Silver chuckles, and relaxes his hands on the desk. "You fit both."

The cabin boy glares at Silver as an answer, before he, too, gives a small chuckle. "And what are you, then? Grumpy old guy or sullen gaffer?" Before Silver is able to answer, Jim speaks up again with the most amused face. "Choose your pick, you fit both."

"Hey, don't get hoity-toity with me, pup."

* * *

Day 17, 10:10 o'clock

Now, for the day's prank Silver have decided to use something from the machine room. He asks the machinist, and they agrees that Silver is allowed to take a little amount of helium. When he leaves the machine room the cook is in the possession of a small handheld canister, which looks much like an inhaler. Now the question is how to expose Jim with it. That would be the hard part.

Pondering on how he would do it, Silver figures that he must somehow make Jim inhale it himself. And the opportunity comes perfectly when the boy accidently inhales a handful of dust when he are to retrieve a bottle of pickles from the pantry. The bottle have surely been standing there for forever, forgotten on the highest ledge on one of the shelves. Apparently, Jim has gotten the dust right in the face when he have stretched for it while he stands on a wobbly old footstool. The teen comes back to the galley with the pickles in his arms as he coughs so hard that Silver is a tiny bit concerned that the teen might caught up parts of his lungs.

"There, there, Jimbo, let it all come out." Silver pats on the teen's back in a try to help, while he fishes up the small canister from his pocket. When most of the coughing seems to have passed, the cook holds it out. "Try this out, lad. This will make it all better."

Jim looks at it for a minute, as he surely wonders what it is. Then he grabs it and takes a deep inhale of what's inside. The sound the teen makes next almost knocks Silver to the floor with laughter.

"Thanks," Jim's voice comes out in a squeaky voice. Immediately the teen freezes with his eyes shooting out, the bats halts to look at him in curiosity, all while Silvers laughter rings out loudly. "No way," the teen goes on when he begins to realize what the container might have carried. "Silver! What did you do?"

"Giving you helium, that's what I did," the cook confirms, almost not able to get the words out in between the laughter.

Jim coughs a bit more in a try to get the last of the dust out of his lungs, but also in a desperate attempt to get his voice back to normal. When he understands that his voice will remain squeaky he glares at the cook. "How long will this go on?"

"I don't know. A minute or so."

Just as those words leaves the cook's mouth, they hear steps from the stair which leads down the galley. It turns out to be the captain, accompanied with Mr. Arrow in tow. "Mr. Hawkins, I like to have a word with you," Amelia says, even before she has come to the bottom step. She approaches with big confident strides, and gives Silver a sideward glance while doing so in wonder why the cooks is so amused. "I would like you to come up to my cabin and answer some questions regarding the map."

Jim doesn't move initially, instead he stands there and glares at Silver. The teen wonders if the cook have planned all this; to give him helium just before the captain wants to speak to him seems much like it have been planned. But that could not have been more untrue. Silver is right now on the verge to roll around on the floor and laughs himself speechless.

"Well?" Amelia asks after a few seconds, ignorant of the roaring laughter from Silver, and have her all attention at the teen. Mr. Arrow behind her is now casting a questioning glance at the cook, an eyebrow going up just an inch.

Jim gives a small sigh and gives an exhausted look at the captain before he answers. "I be up in a minute," comes the squeaky reply.

Amelia and Mr. Arrow only stares, clearly not amused. They probably gets that this is another of those pranks Jim and Silver have been doing since shortly after the start of the journey. "I guess you can take your time, but no dilly-dallying." The captain turns and gets up the stairs again, with the second in command in tight pursuit without a word. Jim looks back at Silver and glares at the cook, a look that shows nothing but pure rage. John, on the other hand, is still laughing hard.

"I will get you for this," the teen growls, but with that squeaky voice it is everything but intimidating. It only sends Silver into another fit of laughter.

A few minutes later Jim have gotten his regular voice back and heads up the stairs. "Send my regards," the cook calls after the boy with the hugest of grins. Jim halts for only a second before he continues on upwards the stairs with renewed anger. The low but amused chuckle from Silver can't be mistaken, as the cook goes back to preparing today's lunch.

* * *

Day 17, 12:22 o'clock

Later that day they eat lunch. Some of the crewmen have taken a seat down in the galley to eat their meals today, to discuss things among themselves and with Silver. Jim decides to eat outside under the sky and the stars, and to enjoy the fresh air. Silver watch the teen collect all the bats into the pouch and then goes up the stairs of the galley with a bowl of food. The bats is pretty soon too big for that pouch, and the cook bets Jim needs to find a bigger one any day now.

Silver goes on with the lively discussion with his fellow crewmates, but after a while he decides that the galley starts to get too cramped when surely five more crewmen walks down the stairs. He excuses himself from the debate and heads up on deck with his half-finished meal.

In the search of somewhere to sit, Silver finds his cabin boy. Jim sits on the floor with his empty bowl in front of him, alone and in silence. Jim haven't noticed the cook yet, but just sits there and watches up at the stars. The teen have a bit of a scowl on his face, and Silver gets intrigued to why. _He can't still be angry for what I did to him this morning. _So the cook decides to go over to the teen and eat up the rest of the lunch by Jim's side.

*Hick*

The first time Silver hears it he halts just for a moment, not able to understand what it was at the beginning. Then, when he hears it again, he understands what it is.

*Hick*

The teen has hiccups. _So that's why he have that face on._ "Jimbo, you okay there, lad?" Silver asks, while sitting down besides the teen. Jim looks over to the cook to see who it is, then he turns up to the sky again.

"I'm okay, except for this stupid *hick*… up."

"Hiccup, huh?" Silver scratches his chin and looks at the boy. "You think that it will go over soon?"

"Sure hope so."

* * *

Day 17, 13:17 o'clock

The hiccup didn't stop. If anything, it got worse. So as the gentlemen that Silver ensures to a disbelieving Jim that he is, the cook decides that they should attempt to cure the hiccup. With this hiccup the pup can't do any of our chores, anyway. Jim's hiccup makes the teen jerk so hard that he drops anything he has in his hands. He has accidentally broken some plates and glasses that way. And not to mention that the constant sounding is irritating for anyone close around. He would be useless until the hiccup stops, which it doesn't give any sign to do.

So the curing begins with Silver holding Jim up by the feet while the teen drinks water while upside-down. That didn't do much good; it only makes the blood gather in the teen's head so his face turns flushed and make the boy really in need to pee. After that they tries to hold Jim's breath; he probably breaks the world record in breath holding, but nothing gets cured out of it. They tries to bite into a lemon wedge and drink vinegar, but no luck there; it only makes the teen cringe quite a bit from the taste. That's where Jim decides to stop. Silver agrees… only he didn't. He only pretends to stop, because he has a plan how to cure the teen from the stubborn hiccup.

What Silver plans to do is to try to scare it out of him. So the cook send his cabin boy to swap the deck in a try to act like normal. Fifteen minutes later, however, John walks up the stairs from the galley, ready to put his little plan to work.

He waits a bit first to observe the teen from afar; Silver needs Jim to be near the gunwale for the whole scare to work. Not too soon after Jim moves himself closer to the gunwale, and that's when John makes his move. The cook makes sure that he is quiet so that the boy wouldn't hear and look his way. Silver tries also to look as innocent as possible, just in case Jim happens to look up from what he is doing. The teen doesn't suspect a thing.

When the cook is close enough he acts quickly. He grabs Jim only by his clothes and jerks the boy up from the behind, so that the teen dangles with his feet in the air. Silver gets a yelp from the teen in response, which only makes John grin. He himself is going to love this, but he isn't so sure about Jim.

Silver then swirls around, still with Jim's clothes in a strong and firm hold, so that the teen flies in a curve over the gunwale and what lies below on the other side. It looks much like Silver is going to throw Jim overboard, but that is only an illusion to make the boy as terrified as possibly by recreate the scene from some days before. From where the cook himself threats to really throw Jim overboard.

For only a moment Jim is over the dark abys below the ship, in weightlessness half a meter to the side of the secure deck. The face the boy does is one of pure horror as he looks down at the darkness and feels the G-force in his stomach. But just as quickly as he have been thrown of the ship he is jerked back to safety.

When he stands on his own two feet again he shakes terribly, frozen in place where he stands. Silver observes him and listens closely. Jim doesn't look back at Silver, the teen only stares out in the emptiness in front of him. The mop, that the teen have hold on to thru the whole ordeal, is squeezed in Jim's hands so hard that the knuckles have turned white. Seconds goes, seconds that turns into a whole minute. A smile grows in Silvers' face.

There is no more hiccups.

But then the smile drops. "Jimbo?" Silver asks, who first now notices that Jim haven't recovered from the chock. When the teen doesn't respond the cook pokes him in the side. First then Jim reacts.

The boy looks up and meets Silvers' gaze. There are something in the boy's face, something that Silver never have seen there before. For the first time the cook sees tears at the edges of Jim's eyes, which threatens to roll down the boy's cheeks.

"Never do that again." Jim's voice is shaky, and not soon after the tears are streaming down. Silver haven't understood that the teen would react this much; the cook only planned to scare him a bit. But it is much too late now.

The teen let's go of the mop before he then runs away, and leaves Silver to stand there with some regret over his action.

* * *

Day 17, 13:45 o'clock

Silver only wants to help with the hiccup, never really giving him such a big scare that the boy would start to cry. But saying that in an excuse is not really that good to say. Maybe Silver should have given that one an extra thought before he did it, with how the boy have reacted when that with the gunwale from the other day is mentioned. But tearing up about it? Wow. I SHOULD really say sorry about that.

And he have tried to find the boy over the whole ship for 25 minutes or so to do just that, to give an apology. But Silver haven't been able to find Jim anywhere. Then he have gone back to work, while he figures that there are no use to look for the boy as Jim couldn't really go anywhere. The kid could take the longboat, of course, but where would he go with it. For the 25 minutes Silver have looked around the longboat were still in its right place, but that can change.

All the while Silver works he spies around for him. At first John is a bit grateful not to find his cabin boy right away, because that gives him time to try to come up with something good to say. But as the time ticks away the cook starts to worry, and with that worry grows also the guilt. Where can that boy possibly have hidden himself? How many places is there to hide on a ship?

"Where are you, Jimbo?" Silver mumbles.

* * *

Day 17, 16:58 o'clock

It is first much later on the evening that Silver sees the teen again. Or, more frankly, hears him.

*achoo*

The low sneeze comes sudden, and makes Silver halt on the spot. The cook is in the pantry, where mostly himself usually goes to get ingredients to the food he makes. So hearing the sneeze from within here is unusual. Silver turns from where the sound sounded, but he only sees a shelf full with food items. But as he closes in he can see a small huddled figure behinds some big boxes on the floor at that particular shelf.

"Jimbo?" John asks as he goes down on his knees. There is no answer. Silver shuffles one of the boxes a bit to the side, and it is revealed that it indeed is Jim. The boy is turned towards the wall so John aren't able to see Jim's face. "Jmbo, please get out of there," the cook asks quietly. This still gives no answer from the kid, but only makes Jim curl up even more.

For a moment there is just silence, where Silver are not sure on what to do or say. In the end, however, he sits down with his back resting on the shelf that Jim is hiding under. The cook don't want to go away when he finally have found the boy, especially when feeling like this. There is a few more silent seconds going before Silver decides to speak again.

"I know that you probably got very scared there, Jimbo, and I can't tell you that it wasn't my intention. But I didn't know that it would scare you THAT much; I just wanted to rid you of that hiccup." Silver glances at the figure with hopes that there are he makes some improvements. Jim remains still. "I swear that I will not try, in any way, to throw you of over the gunwale again," Silver tries again.

There is still no response. Silver looks away with a furrowed brow. He don't know what to do more than that; he have apologized, but is it enough? It have been enough before, so why does it feel different now?

"You know something funny?" a small voice asks suddenly after a moment silence, and John realizes it to be Jim. "I love to solar surf. I have made my own surfer board and everything. And you know another thing?" This is where Silver hears that Jim shuffles a bit, and the cook turns his head to see what the boy is doing. Jim have turned to look at him in the eyes with a face that glows with anger. "I have never been scared of heights."

Jim takes a pause to let it sink in, before he continues. "Never have I looked down when surfing and gone white with fear. I have relished it, the rush it gave me. I have even turned off my board and gone freefalling for half a kilometer to get an even bigger rush. But now? I'm not so sure of it."

Silver gets a questioningly look on his face. "Never have I ever gone high up in the air without being sure that I have a way to come out fine from it," Jim goes on. "I have always had my board. But now, when you have almost intentionally thrown me of a ship twice-,"

"Ah, only once," Silver interrupts. "This time doesn't-."

"TWICE!" Jim cuts in with the first roar Silver ever have heard from the teen. The cook finds himself flinch from the sudden outburst. "Twice you have done that, with me believing that I will fall to my certain death. TWICE!" There is a moment where Jim only stares at Silver, with that face full with anger and those eyes red with hate. And John? He finds himself really scared for the first time since a long while back. For a 15 year old scrawny little boy half his size, no less.

"I think that you have made me afraid of heights," Jim finishes.

* * *

**Credits goes to wildartist4 for the idea with the helium to make Jim's voice squeaky and for some guy for the idea with making Jim get hiccup and have Silver try to get rid of it. I also hope that I haven't made neither Jim or Silver out of character in the last bit.**


	11. Day 17: Delbert Doppler, the Big Dive

Day 17, 07:02 o'clock

There have been many pranks onboard the ship, or else people have to be blind to miss it. According to Dr. Doppler, to prank others as Jim and Silver have done pranks on each other is just childish. Doppler would never do such a thing, and if he would, he would never prank in the same fashion as those two… those… _well, I hate to say it, but they act like real buffoons._

Delbert have brought this up with Jim a few times and he have voiced his thoughts that the teen and the cook should stop. Jim, of course, only shrugs it off. Delbert have brought this up with Silver once, too, but he has no wish to end it either. _They are impossible, both of them. Can't they see how troublesome their behavior is? _Delbert bets that they wouldn't stop, not even on the way home. Would they even keep contact after the end of the voyage and keep pranking each other? Probably.

Delbert shakes his head, and hopes that he wouldn't be dragged into it. _It's only to duck and cover, I guess. I also hope not to be collateral damage in this "prank war", too._ Delbert frowns when he remembers that horrid day when he got covered by an odor of the worse kind. Out of nowhere comes this bottle and hits him in the head, and the content covers him as a rain during a storm. It were a big relief to get it off when he did.

In deep thought Delbert walks up on the deck, but he doesn't give much notice what or who is in his way. He bumps into someone quite hard, almost so that both topples over. Delbert regains his balance and brushes himself of potential dust before he takes a look at who he have bumped onto. It turns out to be Captain Amelia herself.

"Watch yourself, doctor," she says, annoyed.

Delbert gets somewhat irritated as he usually gets when he sees her nowadays, even when he have spent more time with her than he have planned to… or even liked to, for that matter. "I can say the same to you, captain," he answers with a frown. He doesn't wait for a replay, but goes on and walks ahead. He knows that he would probably spend time with her later on the day to discuss astronomy, and he also bets that this isn't the best start on the day.

* * *

Day 17, 11:45 o'clock

Delbert doesn't bump into the captain again until a few hours later. It is when he sits on the observation deck and studies the stars as they pass by, as he come to do more nowadays onboard the ship. Amelia comes up to where he sits silently, and Delbert doesn't notice that he have company until her shadow covers him. He looks up, curious on who it might be that disturbs him, only to get a mildly annoyed face as well as feel his nerves tense up. He haven't really grown to like her over the time of the journey, even how much time he forces himself to be with her. She is still a haughty irritation of a woman.

"I guess that your work is going fine, doctor," Amelia asks dryly. She doesn't give his work a single glance though, even when Delbert's notes and tools lies bare right there in front of the doctor.

"As fine as it could go, captain," Delbert answers in the same fashion as he goes back to what he is doing.

"Have my assistance been satisfactory?" she wonders, and Delbert hears that the annoyance in her voice grows a bit. She seems to be in a worse mood than usual today, or she might find it a bit annoying that a part of her so precious observer deck is occupied from time to time.

"Yes, to some… degree," Delbert ensures, carful to empathize the last word.

Amelia's eyes narrows dangerously, and is something that Delbert could guess that she would do even without the need to look at her. "What might not been to your satisfaction?" she asks.

Delbert now turns back to her to look at her with a brow slightly raised and with a face that implies that the answer should be obvious. "It is that some of your claims of what is out there are unbelievable at most."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," she explodes in a controlled manner. "I thought that I have made it perfectly clear that what I have 'claimed' is perfectly true. Just because it is unbelievable doesn't mean that I am lying."

"Only that the chance of you lying are higher, you mean? Or maybe… are you boasting, perhaps?"

The captain leans in closer where Delbert sits, and it is evident that her patience grows thin. "Now, you listen here, doctor. You don't like me, and I don't like you. But I think that it would be proper, our dislike for each other aside, that you should be a bit more nice to me, with the thought of that I in fact are lending you my experience and knowledge of astronomy in mind. Don't you agree?"

"It might be so, but if I had a choice I might not go to you for this so called 'assistance'."

"Oh? I would not be your first choice?" Here Amelia puts in a small chuckle, and irony clings to it even with her not trying to. "How relieving. For a while I thought that you wanted to be with someone with etiquette as well as knowledge and experience," she hums, as she straightens up and puts a thoughtful hand on his chin. "But I guess that you might want to be with someone with more - how do I put this right? Oh, I got it - pure bruteness."

Delbert squawks a little at that, a bit taken aback from what the captain just have said. "Pure b-bruteness, on my honor," Delbert exclaims, stuttering a bit over the anger bubbling up within him. "I let you know that if someone here is a brute and have a lack of etiquette it is you. A proper lady doesn't handle herself by swinging around in the sails as a method of inspecting the ship. A proper lady doesn't carry guns and fights with swords either."

"Oh please, whenever have I fought with a sword? I don't even carry a sword."

What none of them have noticed is that their tone of conversation have gradually gone from mildly civil and risen in volume until the point that all the crewmen on both the observation deck and the deck below now looks their way and listens in.

"A lot, by the looks of you," Delbert answers, enraged.

"In that case, I can defend myself in case pirates attack. Which is more that can be said about you. Are you sure that you are a man at all?"

Delbert completely boils at this point, as well as the captain does. The only different is that Amelia is better at hiding it under her shell of calmness. Dr. Doppler stands up so that he have his face at the same level as hers. But he doesn't say anything, however. He really wants to, but now he is so angry that he can't come up with a sensible comeback.

After a moment of just standing there, where Delbert just stares at the captain in silence while he fumes and tries to form anything sensible to say in his mind. He then gives up. He turns to his things, collects them in movements that jerks in anger and then storms of. The captain stays put and observes the doctor in quiet and calm anger.

* * *

Day 17, 17:23 o'clock

Delbert have to look after the bats again, and right now it is time for their regular feeding. The bats are hungrier than ever before now when they have grown a bit, and the insects Delbert have are barely enough. Silver's traps are not catching enough insects fast enough, even when Plum is happy to eat plums. The other five is not particularly fond of plums, but what other can they eat? Jim would probably know what they can eat.

There is something that trouble Delbert about Jim, now when the doctor have gotten the boy in his mind. When the teen handed over the bats the boy where really sad. He have cried, which the doctor could see on the streams on the boys cheeks. When Delbert have asked about it, Jim wouldn't say a word and only ran away. Doppler contemplates if he should go to Silver and ask about it, or maybe he should go to Captain Amelia to report the whole thing.

After giving the bats the insects he have, Delbert decides to get to the galley to check if there is some scraps from the meat Silver served their crew earlier that day. After he is able to collect the bats in the pouch he walks down the stairs to the galley. He notes that the room is empty and it seems that Silver is somewhere else for the moment, so Delbert decides to take a seat at the table and wait for Silver to come.

Suddenly there is a sharp gurgling sound from somewhere amongst the kitchen supplies that is aligned on the table where Silver usually prepares the food. Dr. Doppler perks his head up towards the general direction of the sound, a bit startled over the sudden noise. He sees for a split second a pair of small eyes amongst the bottles, which hurryingly closed themselves. Uncertain at first of what it is Delbert squints with his eyes in a try to see better, and he is left confused as he sees no difference between the bottles. Then he figures out what it must be.

"Morph, please, come out," Delbert says. "And don't scare me like that again."

The moment after one of the bottles transforms into the pink blob, who flies up to Delbert to greet him. Morph then greets the six small bat creatures on the table, one at the time. Delbert observes them as they interact with each other, and smiles a bit when he sees that Morph turns himself into one small bat himself. The pink blob even starts to carefully play with his new mates.

When he sits there, and watches the play in front of him, the doctor comes to think of Amelia. The two of them have shared much about astronomy, and Delbert don't think that he have gotten to know her much better. Quite the opposite, he finds that she has shown only more of what he has already seen of her. _Well, I have learned that my first impression of her is right. Feline right into the bone, and much of the supercilious kinds. Should I even talk to her at all?_

Every time he comes to think of her he instantly frowns. Even though she have some interesting things to tell about astronomy, the time with her have been awful. He actually plan to stop these ridiculous meetings with her. They have surely come to the edge of known stars, and now is when Delbert have some real work to do. The uncharted stars that lies beyond and are all the way to treasure planet is more worth of his time than some know-it-all captain.

Soon he will not only read about other's findings, he will make his own. Findings that he can write down and hear others speak of and praise of. The difference will be remarkable. All these years of dreaming of the stars, and now he will explore new ones. Only the thought makes Delbert radiate with happiness.

In the mist of all the thoughts of the captain, stars and findings the doctor comes to think on Jim again. Delbert gets a troubled expression on his face as he feels the worry grow. _Have something bad happen to him?_ As he remembers the traces of tears on the boy's face, Doppler tries to recollect the last time he seen the teen cry. It most have been ages ago.

Delbert's thoughts are suddenly interrupted by Silver, who enters the galley. "Oh, hello there, doctor," the cook greets. "What can I do for you?"

"It is the bats," Delbert explains, and open the pouch to let the creatures out on the tabletop. "I am out of insects and I think they still are hungry. I wonder if you have any scraps of the meat from lunch to give them."

"I'm sure I have something to feed those little buggers." With that Silver turns his back at Delbert and starts to scramble to find the leftover meat. With different kitchen tools, together with the tools that are built into his mechanical arm, the cook begins to slice and dice what's left of the meat.

When all the bats are out of the pouch and on the tabletop Delbert leans back and relaxes. He keeps on to ponder about Jim, and he wonders if Silver possibly could know about it. Of course the cook should know about it, Silver and Jim works together. "Mr. Silver?" Delbert starts. "I am a bit worried about Jim."

The Cook halts for just one breath in the middle of a motion, and his head perks the doctor's way a bit. Then John continues with the scraps, now if only a bit more tense. "How so?" he asks.

"He seemed really upset when I last saw him. Like if he has been crying."

Silver fumbles miserably when he gropes for a plate to lay the small pieces of meat on. He comes over to the table and takes a seat as he put the plate on a free spot amongst the bats, which seems to use the area on the tabletop to its fullest; they wanders around, sniffs at everything, wrestles with each other and plays around.

But as soon as the plate is placed down they stop instantly with what they are doing and turns their attention to the food. They flock around the edge of the plate and digs in, a few of them snarling here and there to each other when they think that the other have taken the wrong piece.

"Is there something more you noticed about him?" Silver asks with a low voice, without looking up to meet Delbert's eyes.

The doctor thinks back to when he meet the boy the last time. _Yeah, Jim were sad, alright. REALLY sad, like something very bad happened._ The other thing the doctor noticed where that the kid seemed a bit unsure on his feet. Why Jim would be that Delbert have no idea.

"I remember that his legs where shaking," Doppler relieves. "That he weren't as sure-footed as he should be. Can he have gotten trouble with his balance?"

There is a pause where Silver rubs his eyes with a thumb and an index finger. The silence seems uneasy, and even Delbert, who usually doesn't notice these things that easily, feels it. "Not bloody likely," comes a low answer.

"Oh?" Delbert inquires, now intrigued. _Have the two of them been in a fight or something?_ The doctor frowns a bit. _Maybe this are about one of those stunts that are their tasteless pranks._

Silver doesn't look up to meet the doctor in the eye when the hand comes down from the cook's face. "I think I have made a mess out of this. A real mess. I mean, I didn't know that he would cry from it."

_As I suspected; one of their pranks._ "Let's hear it, then." And as Silver's story progresses Delbert grows steadily, but still strongly, worried. And when the cook is done Delbert understands perfectly why Jim have been like he have.

"Silver, I fear that you have done a big unservice to Jim," Delbert speaks truthfully. "He really liked to fly around on that contraption of a solar board of his. Now he can't do that because of this fear of heights." When Silver hears this he looks honestly sad at what he have done, and he looks obviously uncertain of what to do. Delbert feels it only right that he should advice the cook of the best way to act. "Why not go and say that you're sorry?" Dr. Doppler asks.

Silver looks Delbert in the eye for the first time since Delbert came down the stairs that day, and makes a face as he is clearly not believes the doctor. "That's all what I done so far," the cook answers. "As soon as I have gone over a line I have only offered a simple sorry. It have been several times now, and I'm tired of just simply apologize. I believe it will not be enough this time."

Delbert hums as he is deep in thought. He tries to come up with a good answer. He have often talked much like this with Jim's mother, Sarah. They would discuss an array of subjects, ranging from the business if Benbow inn and its economics, politics, astronomy, Jim's dad and why he left, and, at last, Jim and his upbringing. Delbert have tried to add what his wisdom have to offer, even when it stretches for the most part in astronomy. But amongst all his literature that he have in his home, he have one or two books about more social things.

Delbert agrees that it doesn't make him an expert, far from it, but it have to count for something. That is what he finds himself to think on now, when he tries to find a good advice for Silver. As he takes a moment to answer, Delbert gets a small idea that he figures can grow to something good. Or at least he hopes so.

"Then there are only one thing to do, if you really mean what you say," he begins. Silver perks up at that. He probably didn't think that the doctor would come with an advice, and he are not alone to assume it. Even Delbert amazes himself at the moment.

"What?" the cook asks.

Delbert breathes out, and hopes that this is the right thing to say. "To simply change."

"Change?" Now Silver looks interested in what Dr. Doppler is to say, and yet again he isn't alone.

"Yes, change," Delbert continues a bit nervously, as he wonders where this will lead to. He decides to just speak what comes to mind, and to his mind comes the most truthful words he finds himself to say. "To change your ways is the ultimate way to tell someone that you are sorry, and the only way in my opinion."

Silver frowns. He clearly doesn't agree to Delbert's words. "So I should 'simply' change? I'm sorry, doc, but to change isn't that easy that you try to make of it."

"Yes, I guess you are right," Delbert agrees, but persistent not to give up. He himself gets even more surprised at himself that he already are. "And I don't mean that you should completely change who you are, as that would be impossible. You are… you. You are what you are, and no-one else."

Silver doesn't stop Delbert, but only stares at the doctor as if he have seen his meal stand up from the plate and walk away during lunch. Delbert sees this as a good sign and continues.

"But to make one little change, ever so little, can mean the world. How hard that little thing may be to change might be worth it. Or not, you don't know until you have tried. That it where hard to accomplish and you still did it only proves your sincerity, and can also be boast of as an accomplishment if nothing else."

After Delbert have finished he finds that Silver to just sit there, mouth open, eyes stares forward and completely taken away. The cook haven't really expected much from Delbert's advice, but what have come out the doctor's mouth not only made much sense but also clings quite true. Delbert don't know what Silver makes of his whole little speech, but Delbert himself finds it to be most astonishing.

They both just sat there, none of them not sure what to do, they almost waited on something to top that off. And something unexpected do come. Sudden steps is heard hurry towards where the two of them are seated, and drags them back to the present. A door open into the galley, and a figure of a crewmember that are gasping heavily from strain appears in the doorway.

"The longboat!" the crewman speaks in a voice full of panic. "The longboat is gone!"

And as like that, the earlier conversation is temporarily forgotten. The longboat, that is only used in special circumstances like getting people down on a planet where the RLS Legacy have no room or chance to land, is always to be docked within the ship whenever it isn't required. And right now it is definitely not required.

Delbert frowns. _Has someone abandoned the ship? Who?_ Glancing over at the cook, Silver seems to be as puzzled as Delbert is. Until…

"Jimbo?" Silver questions suddenly, his face twisting both in curiosity if he is right and horror to be right. Delbert first waves the suggestion away, refusing to believe it to be Jim that have taken the longboat. _He could never._ Then, after another second, Delbert gives it another thought. He gets a face somewhere in the middle of worried and serious. _It is Jim we are talking about. He usually do things without giving it a proper thought. But nothing like this, surely._

"I don't know who it is that have taken it," the crewman answers. "I only know that it is gone. Should we tell the captain?"

"Longboat, ahoy!" a shout is heard from up the stairs of the galley. All the three of them turns their heads towards it.

"I bet she already knows now," Silver bets, anger grows evident in his voice and face. Yet the worry lingers. He stands up to walk up the stairs, with the crewman in tow. Delbert hesitates a bit, looking from the stairs to the bats that all still is on the table and then back to the stairs. The bats are nearly done with eating the scraps of the meat. Morph finds it is high time to transform back to its normal pink form, and decides to fly after the cook.

Delbert stands and hastily collects the bats into the pouch in the end, with the small creatures giving their objections for having their meal interrupted. But they quiets down when Delbert hurriedly takes the plate to tuck the rest of the meat, too, into the pouch and quickly gets to the stairs.

When coming up on the deck Delbert sees that a considerably large part of the crew have gathered on one side of the ship, and all of them have their attention on something over the gunwale. Delbert forces his way thru the crowd and gets to the gunwale just in time to see a moving object shooting up from below several meters away out in space.

True to the shout before it is the longboat, with its sail fully unfolded and the thruster blares to the fullest. Delbert narrows his eyes, in a try to strain his sight to see who possibly is onboard. Delbert gasps to see the figure of young Jim Hawkins. Delbert sees the risk that the boy could crash right into something or get himself into other trouble, and finds it to be a horrid thought. _Sarah is going to kill me if I let her son is injured. Or worse, killed._

"What in all the blazing stars is he doing?" Delbert hears Silver ask loudly over the murmuring of the rest of the crew, and the doctor tears his eyes to look how the cook takes it. Silver looks now bewildered, more so than Delbert have ever seen him. _Have I even seen him bewildered before?_

"He is your cabin boy," the captain points out to John from where she stands up on the observation deck with Mr. Arrow. "You should know." Her voice is full of annoyance and irritation over what is happening, but it is all wrapped in into her usual calmness.

Delbert looks back at the longboat, who is on its way away from them. He gets a startling realization. "Captain," he calls, turning to her. "I believe he is leaving." _If we let him he will never find his back home. There is even not a big chance for him to find other people. He's just a boy, with no knowledge of space and knows nothing of navigation after stars._

Amelia doesn't turn to meet his gaze nor do she speak to answer him, she only looks on the longboat that is on its way to disappear with annoyance that only increases. "Mr. Turnbuckle, pursue that longboat. We have a cabin boy to retrieve."

"Aye, aye, captain," answers the crewman at the helm and turns the wooden steering wheel.

Delbert feels the whole ship shift in a sharp turn. Within seconds RLS Legacy is on the longboats tail, and closes up the distance between them with ease. The question now is, how do they make the longboat stop and get it back into the docking space inside the ship.

"Captain," the cook suddenly cries out, who now shows determination and anger in his face and voice. "Have the ship go alongside Jim. I will jump the gap."

Amelia turns to look at the cook with a brow raised at that. Then she resumes her earlier pose. "You hear him, Mr. Turnbuckle."

The ship closes in on the longboat, and begins to come up alongside it. But then Jim turns of into another direction. The helmsman turns the second after, and follows the longboats movements. Then Jim makes a move that takes everyone by surprise, probably even the captain though she doesn't show it.

Jim quickly folds in the sail, swiftly rears the longboat upside down and then dives with the thruster at the highest speed. Delbert gets his heart right up his throat. Jim dives, dives and dives, far and long. And while he dives the whole crew makes a combined gasp, followed by an absolute silence. The world grows quiet. Even the huge thrusters on the large ship seems to quiet down in terror, even though they are blaring. Even Amelia and Mr. Arrow is visibly affected.

An half a kilometer, and the longboat is still falling. Mr. Turnbuckle seems to regain himself from the initial shock, and RLS Legacy dives after the longboat. As the ship falls the helmsman turns the ship in the fall to get on even keel with the considerably smaller boat. The blare of the thruster intensifies, but even when they works at their hardest it is a slow crawl to close in on the longboat.

One kilometer, and the longboat have still not broken off from the dive. TWO kilometer. "Four," Delbert finds himself counting out loud, a scream in the current silence even though it is a whisper. Then, as suddenly as it began, Jim brings the longboat to a horizontal angle and folds out the sail.

The helmsman follows suit and brings the ship quickly closer, and takes the chance to get alongside the small boat. Silver acts swiftly, and doesn't give Jim any chance to get away as the cook jumps the gap. Delbert sees the annoyance and the anger in Jim's face as the boy looks back at the uninvited lifter the second before the longboat breaks away.

_I like to hear the reasoning for all this from that boy the second she sets his foot onboard the ship._ That are the only thought that occupies Delbert's mind when he, together with the rest of the crew, races down to the docking area.

* * *

Day 17, 18:11 o'clock

"Are you completely MAD?!" Delbert hears Silver roar the second before the doctor is able to come into the docking area. When Delbert gets in he sees that the cook have taken hold of the boy's collar with his mechanical arm and shakes Jim violently. He even hoists the boy up a small distance from the floor.

The rest of the crew have been ordered to not go in into the docking area and instead go back to their usual business, and after they give a few objections on the subject the crew scornfully obliges. Delbert guesses that journeys like this usually is pretty uneventful, so drama like this is something that the crew would really like to see.

"Well, out with it," Silver say, as he still tugs at Jim's collar. "Why did you do something as idiotic as this, huh?"

Delbert decides to intervene, as he finds that the cook comes on to strong. Jim, the strong headed boy that he is, should have at least some good reason for what he have just done. Or, at least, Delbert hopes so. And that Jim doesn't even look Silver in the face, but stares to the side with a scowl, is something that disconcerts Delbert greatly.

"That is quite enough, Silver," Delbert tries to calm the cook down, while the doctor puts a hand on the cook's mechanical arm. "I think that Jim knows what he did have all of us worried, and I also think that the boy needs a moment alone and quiet to get his thoughts straight."

"You think here and you think there," John growls as he turns to the doctor, still refuses to let go of Jim's collar. "I don't care what you think, all I care for now is to hear the damn pup say something. Preferably why he did what he did."

_As would I._ Delbert wants nothing more than to hear the whys at the moment, but clearly Jim is not ready right now. "And I bet he will in due time. But you should back of a bit first."

"Heck no," Silver bursts out, and shrugs Delbert's hand of. "Now, get out of my way, doc."

Delbert's patience runs low with the cook, and the doctor is just about to say his mind when another voice cuts in.

"Stand down, both of you."

Both Silver and Delbert freezes and turns towards where the voice comes from, both for them to see it to be Captain Amelia. A moment goes where none says a word, they just stare. Then the captain speaks again with a calmness that is somehow different from what she usually have. Instead of her usual authority calmness, this calmness is hinted just a tiny bit with sympathy.

"Let the boy go, Silver. I take it from here."

* * *

**Some of the credits goes to LandonCarmz, as he/she asked for Jim to scare Silver. I asked myself what possibly can really scare a man like Silver, and one single answer pops into my mind. That something would happen to Jim, now when the cook is starting to care for the boy. This one was a hard one.**

**And for those who haven't noticed, this chapter is 5000 WORDS! That's is about double the length of what I normally write on this story.**


	12. Day 17: Jim Hawkins, Worst Day Ever

Day 17, 18:13 o'clock

Jim Hawkins stands in front of Amelia's working desk. As he stands there finds his feet to be very interesting, as he wouldn't look at anything else the first few seconds of silence that he and the captain remains in her cabin. The captain herself is seated at her place behind her desk. But Mr. Arrow is absent, which is unusual as he follow her as her shadow must of the time. For a moment there is only silence, where Jim looks down at his feet and Amelia observes the teen.

"Mr. Hawkins, I suspect that you know how serious I take this situation. I don't like it when my crew, the youngest out of my crew at that, puts themselves at risk like this. To begin with I want to ask you why you did it."

Jim doesn't answer that, neither does he look up from his feet. He doesn't want to talk about it, because what he did is something personal and something that he feels he had to do.

"I have you know that I consider this talk confidential and that it will not leave this room if you don't want to," Amelia ensures when he doesn't say anything.

Jim finally glances up at her, trying to figure out if he should really tell her his mind. Of why he have taken the longboat without telling anyone why; of what happened between himself and Silver; of Jim's newfound fear and of his thoughts on the matter. He is extremely unsure, as he himself finds it as problems that he himself should solve, and no-one else. In the end he sets his mind, but how to put it in words…

"Are you scared of anything, captain?" Jim asks after a few silent moments with a small voice.

Amelia borrows her brow, as she wonders what that have to do with anything. But she decides to play along. "If I would say no I be lying," she reveals.

"Did any fear you have come later in life?"

Amelia muses for a moment on that question before she answers. "Maybe one."

Jim observes her in silence, as he guesses for himself what fear she possibly could have and that could have grown into being in her life. "Did you try to do anything about it?"

Amelia's patience wears a bit thin at this point. "Come to the punch, Mr. Hawkins. Did you or did you not try to leave with the longboat?"

"Yes," he answers, then after a hesitant second he reluctantly adds two words. "And no."

Amelia gets confused. "What?"

"Yes, I did try to leave with the longboat, but only for a while. I was coming back with it, so no, I didn't want to leave forever."

The captain thinks on the answer, but quickly decides that she needs more information than that. "I fear you lost me there," she tells Jim and leans back in her chair.

Jim looks around a bit, as he tries to think on how better explain himself. In the end he rests his eyes back on his shoes, so that he have something to concentrate on. "Never in my life have I found any fears besides the ones that I always have remembered. There is the one of losing my mother, but that is basically everything that have followed me since I were a child. But now…," the cabin boy explains, and puts a fragment of a pause here while he looks up at Amelia. He locks on to her eyes with his own. "Now I found myself with a fear of heights."

"Fear of heights?" the captain repeats.

"Yes. Or maybe not as much the height, but more the fall itself. Since I began the journey onboard this ship I have gotten this fear. It has really bugged me, as I like to solar surf back home."

Amelia could see the complication in the situation, but not how it relates to the situation at hand. She entwines her fingers together in front of her mouth as she listens further. "Go on," she urges.

"You see, Silver made a prank on me earlier today. I suspect that he did it to cure me of the hiccup that I had, but never mind." Jim looks thoughtful for just a small moment when he says this, but he doesn't make a bigger break in his talk. "It was to pretend to flung me down into the abyss below. I got scared, just absolutely terrified."

"Anyone in their right mind would," agrees Amelia. Jim bites himself in the lip, as he wonders if he should tell her that he have more reason to be afraid than anyone. He have the memory of Silver holding him over the gunwale and his threats to let go of him fresh in his mind. He didn't want to tell, if he didn't absolutely have to. The reason for it, and Jim didn't know why, but the boy didn't really want to put Silver into more danger. The cook would probably get some trouble because of the stunt earlier this day, but if the captain also learns of the threats and the action that Silver have made several days earlier, then the cook might be in more problem.

_Why do I care so much for him so suddenly? _But deep down in his mind he remembers that Silver tried to make the boy stay on the ship when they have visited 'The Green Gem' to avoid getting hurt. At least Jim can do is to repay the favor somehow, how small this little consideration he does right now may be.

"That's when I decided that I had enough with my fear and that I wanted to try to cure myself of it," Jim goes on. "So I took the longboat to put myself to a standstill in the middle of nowhere, with only space around me. To just sit there and look down into the darkness until I wouldn't be scared no more. It would also give me a chance to be left alone and think. After that I planned to come back."

When Jim is done there is only silence in the room. Amelia observes Jim, without giving any sign on what she might think or deduce. But that stare, though. Never have Jim seen the captain with that stare. It is drilling into him, searching, illuminating. Like if she is trying to see if he have spoken the truth. Jim finds himself shrinking, even though he have told the truth and nothing but the truth in this conversation. Amelia brings her fingers apart and instead puts her hands on the tabletop in front of her.

"You must understand, Jim, that what you did today could -no, IS- very dangerous." The cabin boy couldn't help but shudder when he hear her call him by his first name for the first time. "You most definitely would find yourself lost if you have gotten away. You have no experience of navigation by the stars and you would likely have starved before you would find another ship or an inhabited planet. The fact that we on Legacy are moving doesn't help you to find back." Her stare intensifies. "Do you understand that?"

At the time Jim have been too upset to think so far ahead, everything he could think of have been of how to rid himself of his new fear and how stupid Silver is. But now when Amelia says it it's obvious. He would have died. He would never have seen the treasure planet. He would never see his mother again, or come back to Benbow's Inn. Neither would he hear Delbert's often discourse nor Morph's burbling babble… or Silver's booming laugh.

_Wait, what? Did I just think that? Why would I miss Silver's laugh? Or miss Silver at all? It is his fault to begin with!_ Jim thinks back on the surprise Silver have given him earlier today, and the cabin boy gets angry all over again. _He knew that I still were afraid of heights from when he hold me over the gunwale, and yet he did it anyway._

Jim nods to Amelia's question, as he understands clearly. Her stare doesn't change back straight away though, but keeps him where he stands for another good moment. Only after the feeling of the most uncomfortable kind have grown strong in Jim does Amelia's facial features relax to her more natural expression.

"So, this fear you have seems to be of great important to you," she observes.

"Yes," Jim confirms.

"I would have expected you to come to me with a problem like this. But the past is the past." Amelia gives of a faint smile, while her eyes turns hopeful. "I like to help you cure it."

Those words catches Jim unaware, and he have to make a double take as he eyes Amelia with wonder. "Really?"

"Yes. I would like to begin immediately, but it is starting to get late. First thing in the morning we will start with getting you back on your feet with this fear of heights."

As Amelia speaks Jim breaks out in a grinning smile. He doesn't really know what to say when she have finished, as he have become speechless. He just stands there and grins like a fool. "Thank you, captain," he finally says when he finds the words.

"Thank me when it's over," she replies. "I know how it feels like to want to do something but there is something holding you back." Her smiles disappears, and she is temporarily lost in her memories. "It's not a pleasant feeling." Then she clears her throat, and goes back to her usual manner. "You better go off and finish today's work. Report back to me the first thing in the morning."

"Will do." Jim turns and opens the door, but gets interrupted by Amelia. She doesn't move to rise from her desk, thought.

"By the way, may I know how this fear began?"

Jim pauses at the doorway while he gets a bit stale, as he doesn't know how to answer. Or if he should answer at all.

* * *

Day 17, 18:29 o'clock

When Jim enters the galley he is instantly grabbed by a strong metallic hand by the collar of his sweater, witch scares him so much so that he jumps surely half a meter. Or he should have, if not for the man that holds him. It turns out to be Silver.

"Finally back, huh?" the cook speaks irritated, still angry over what Jim did earlier today and most definitely still in search for an explanation. He brings the cabin boy closer by the collar, and Jim sees that Silver's cybernetic eye is burning red. There is a small voice in the back of his head that tells him to probably take it easy now, especially when the cook have managed to keep his temper up still after fifteen minutes. But the boy's own mild irritation and stubbornness makes him not listen to it. "Now, let's get back to business."

Now it's time for Jim to get irritated for not to be allowed to mind his own for for barely fifteen minutes. "Oh, yeah?" the cabin boy answers with sarcasm, as he tries to pull himself free from the steel hard grip. "Your business or mine?"

"You just want to get deeper into trouble, do you?" Silver growls warningly. "Now, tell me. Why did you try to leave the ship?"

"As if you don't know!" Jim explodes. "As if it's not your fault all together!"

"My fault?!" Silver explodes right back. "How could it be my fault? Speak plain and blunt, pup, or so help me-"

"I tried to cure my fear of heights, alright," Jim interrupts, as he is tired to hear Silver's voice. The only things the cabin boy wants to do right now is to get his things done and get to his hammock to sleep, nothing more. "That was what I was going to do." _What's his problem? I am back on the ship, I have spoken to the captain, and I was on my way to end my day. He should be nice and calm now, but most of all, he should leave me be._ Jim have no patience with this.

Silver is persistent, though, and really wants answers to his questions. If the cook needs to keep Jim up all night to get it, then so be it, Jim bets. And the older man seems to have no patience to play around today, either. "By getting lost?" Silver snarls. "Have you lost your mind?"

"If I say yes, will you let me go?" Jim coats the words in so much sarcasm that it drops from them.

With the help of the grip he have on the boy's collar Silver brings Jim's face dangerously close to his own. Silver gives Jim a good angry stare, which the boy of course answers with his own irritated glare. "If you intended to be funny, boy, I aren't laughing." The cook couldn't even get angrier at the moment. Not that Jim cares much of it at this instance due to his own negative feelings, but the cook are really, really, REALLY angry at this point. "I advise you to be really careful, or I WILL do something worse than lock you into a barrel or _merely_ hold you over the gunwale."

The voice in the back of Jim's head is now screaming at him to take it careful, but of course, Jim doesn't listen. The urging words bubbles angrily up from his chest without any holdback at all, and in a moment of madness Jim dashes past the invisible line that he shouldn't ever, during any circumstances either good or bad, cross. "Oh, really. What are you going to do? I dare you, do it!" Jim can hear how Silver growls under his breath, but the boy doesn't care. "Whatever it is, just do it!"

That's when Silver snaps.

…

…

…

The smash becomes deafening, although it isn't the smash that Jim notices at first. It is the pain that flies thru his spine. He feels his hands, arms, feet and legs twitch as he registers the hurt, but he tries instinctively not to move so that the burning feeling won't get worse.

"Owwww…," he breathes out, as he opens his eyes that he have closed when his whole world have turned upside-down. What have happen is that Silver, in a second where he lost all his composure and self-control in anger, thrown Jim across the room into the wall furthest in. The boy have landed on the bench where the cook usually prepares the food to the crew, amongst kitchen tools, pots and other object that have their place in the galley. Jim can't believe in the first few breaths that Silver really would it. Then the truth sinks in, and he realizes that Silver just did it.

Now, while fighting the burning tears behind his eyelids and feels the cramps that threatens to take control over his limbs, Jim observes the cook thru a pained expression. Silver is still shaking with anger, but after a few seconds the shaking stops. That's when Jim looks away, and concentrates on not screaming from the pain he have in his back. What the cabin boy miss to see by doing this though is when John's facial features goes from mad to shock, then over to sad. His cybernetic eye goes from angry red to normal yellow in a heartbeat.

There is a pause where Silver just stands there. "So what now, huh?" Jim urges thru clenched teeth, as he have not given up on his own anger, still with his eyes closely shut. "You going to gloat? Scold me some more?" There is no answer, much to Jim's irritation. Some of the pain in his back have subsided some, much to the boys relief. "Well, go on then," Jim urges, even though he doesn't expect any answer. "Do it, you big nutjob."

Silver suddenly approaches Jim where the boy lies. The boy hears the cook come closer, but doesn't care to look up. Then something happens that Jim are not expecting at all.

John carefully perks Jim's upper body up, then proceeds to full out hug him. The sudden and unlooked-for action renders Jim speechless. That the now very sore spot on his back sends out shots of pain from every move or touch doesn't help either, but that is all but forgotten next to the hug.

"I'm so sorry, Jim," Silver says hushed, sincerity and sadness in every word. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I overreacted, I didn't mean it." His voice continues into a mumbling. Then Jim hears the weirdest of sounds. Incredibly faint, incredibly small and only heard once this night and on the whole voyage.

Silver slips out a sob.

Jim's back stops hurting after a while. The rest of that night not much of the remaining chores are done. Dinner is prepared, however, in silence and without eye contact. This day have been strange, and neither Jim nor Silver will forget it. And when Jim lies in his hammock to go to sleep he can't help to lay there sleepless and regrets that he have pushed Silver so far.

* * *

**Silver isn't of the crying kind, right? I hope that the later half didn't get too weird... or too brutal, with Silver throwing Jim into a wall. I wonder if I should rise the rating on this story because of this.**


	13. Day 19: Jim Hawkins, Fears and Friends

Day 19, 05:05 o'clock

It is a dark day today as the ship is sailing thru an area with not much stars to shine up their way, but there are almost not noticed by Jim; all days seems a little darker since his 'collision' with Silver that other day down in the galley. The teen is still feeling terrible about what happened, but not because of the drastic, if not painful, throw of himself at the wall. No, but for what came afterwards. That single sob have been working magic to Jim's irritation and anger, as that little and short sound broke everything down, much like a battering ram.

Everything he could do after that were to just… be quiet and relax, to see to where things leads. Not that he could do much else, as all his strength have gone out of him together with his anger and irritation. He could just lay there, all the while Silver where hugging him, an action as weird as the sob. All of it seems surreal, bizarre, make-believe and all other synonyms that Jim can come to think of. It are all so out of character for John.

Afterwards, first when Jim have gone to his hammock to sleep for the night, he comes to think of the words Silver have said only a few days ago. _Truth is, Jimbo, I don't really want to hurt anyone. Especially a kid that doesn't know how to pick a fight._ That's what Silver have said.

As Jim recites theevents of the day before yesterday in his mind he finds no much motivation in doing today's breakfast. Neither have yesterday been much to cheer for. Silver haven't said a words, not even to direct Jim on what to do. The teen, of course, have been the cabin boy on the ship long enough to know mostly what needs to be done. This silence, though, this complete vacuum between them is most unused for Jim, and towards the evening it have gotten quite unnerving. If not uninviting.

He glances over at where John is working, and eyes quickly the big cook's frame as Silver stands with his back towards the teen. The cook have not said much, not more than necessary. Jim have not said anything in return. What should he say? Sorry for what he said? Too bad? Take it more easy next time? Nothing seems to cut it in Jim's mind, how much he tries to put his thoughts unto words.

Although, the outcome might have been expected. The two of them are not really cut out for any friendship, that much Jim have noticed. The teen have it very easy to make Silver angry, and when the cook is angry he have a hard time to control himself. When Jim himself is angry when Silver is angry, well, let's say it is a VERY good recipe for trouble and just leave it at that. So what happened the other night couldn't have happen much differently.

That knowledge doesn't make it easier, though. The guilt lingers, even when the pain in Jim's back have stopped. To say sorry is at least something he should do, but would it be enough? He feels like it wouldn't be enough. But what other thing to do, then? Should he even bring it up at all? It would all be very awkward to suddenly speak about it, but if not done the rest of the voyage would be very cold, very lonely and very boring. Cold and lonely for not to be able to interact with the person he works along with the most, and boring for not to do these pranks no more.

Neither interaction nor pranks are worth any power when the mood between them is what it currently is: sad, silent and with a utter loss of the earlier irritation and thrill that fueled the "prank war". Is there any idea to keep going with these pranks? Any reason at all?

Jim feels the need of determination, but he is unsure if that determination is really in him. The answer on what to do comes to mind and are as crystal clear as it can be. There is a reason to keep up with the pranks, a reason for spending actually free time with Silver that he never would have in the beginning of the journey. To make Silver happy again. Never does Jim want to make Silver lose his temper till he gets enough and sob like he did the other day. Never does the teen want to see the cook so broken or out of character.

Jim, after all, never thought that he would found out that Silver isn't as bad as the teen thought in the beginning.

* * *

Day 19, 05:42 o'clock

Jim finds himself baffled. He thought that he knew what to say, but that have turned out to be very untrue. He have on several occasions open his mouth when Silver and he himself have worked with the breakfast to the crew, to say the very words that he hopes will mend the broken relationship between them. But as soon as he does he finds his mouth bone dry, his throat all swollen up and his gut in a knot. And that is without any mention of his mind, which goes absolutely blank.

Never have he suffered these kind of difficulties to these extremes before. He remembers to have felt something like this when he was small and about to confess something bad he have done. He knew what the right thing to do was, but it was something that could holds him back. This occasion, thought, seems several times harder, EVEN though Jim haven't felt something like it for a very long time. He thought that he have grown out of it.

Why do this affect him THIS much? Not does he care about Silver's feelings this much surely? The cook have proven not to be a completely rotten guy, sure, Silver have even shown to be quite decent. But this reaction to the man is just ridiculous. _He hurled me into a wall. A WALL._

Jim remembers the pain that have come from it, clear and strong. A thrown spreads in Jim's face from remembering it. But then he finds that another memory comes flooding into his mind without his consent, of a sound that is as clear and strong as the pain in his back. The sob. That frail little sound that Jim thought impossible for Silver to make.

Jim gets second thoughts about the whole thing. Should he even say something? Maybe this is for the best, as the two of them can't claim to be the best of buddies, not even remotely friends.

This train of thoughts makes Jim strangely sad. No more pranks. No more laughs. And no more Silver.

* * *

Day 19, 11:21 o'clock

"Okay, let's start again," the captain's voice is heard. No sooner starts the tugging on the rope that is currently tied tightly around under Jim's chest and up over his shoulders. His feet leaves the safety of the solid wooden floor of the ship. Up, up he goes, until he is dangling halfway up the length of the main mast. There the tugging stops, and leaves him to hang there. He have forced himself to keep his eyes open the whole way through and he can't help his heavy breathing. He haven't dared to look down even once during his ascension.

"Take your time, Jim," the teen hears Dr. Doppler's voice from down below, that currently are responsibility for the pouch with the bats. "Remember that there is always tomorrow, if it gets too much." Jim cringes at the thought. _Yes, tomorrow. And the day after that, too, and then the day after that._

The situation is that Amelia's 'help' that she have offered the day before yesterday turns out to be to hoist Jim up in the air. Only by a little bit at first so that Jim gets familiar with the height and can get comfortable, then they are to work their way all up to the bird nest at the top of the main mast. Apparently, according to the captain, the best way to tackle a fear is to charge it head on. Something Jim finds himself to strongly disagree with, now when he is slightly swaying in the air from the soft movement of the ship.

This have been revealed to Jim's big horror only yesterday, and even worse is that Amelia have been resilient on starting the whole thing immediately. So today is not the first time Jim have gotten such a good view of the ship's top and observation deck, as he have been up here yesterday, too. Another thing that the teen thinks makes the whole treatment worse is that the captain's belief of a small height is the half the length of the main mast, which is H-U-G-E in the eyes of Jim.

Jim takes courage to him, or at least all the courage he have at the moment, and takes a small peek down. He regrets it at once. The swindling height gets to him, and he both turns his face away from the view and shuts his eyes hard.

"Take deep breaths, Mr. Hawkins," Amelia encourages with calmness. "Slow, deep breaths."

_Yeah. Slow, deep breaths. _Jim follows the captain's advice and concentrates on his breathing in a desperate try to get his heartbeat under control. _In. out. In. out. Iiiinnn… aaannd out. _His heart calms down slowly to his relief, and he begins to feel quite relaxed. _In thru the nose, out thru the mouth._

He opens his eyes at this point, and watches the sails, ropes and the hefty wooden poles that are the masts above him. And beyond that, in the cracks that comes and goes in the soft fabric that flutters in the wind, there is space. _Breathe, breathe, breathe._

He gives it another try and looks down, for a tiny bit longer this time. The height is still swindling, but slightly, ever so slightly, it seems a bit less threatening. He sees the deck, and all that have gotten together to see the show. This is a huge improvement from yesterday, as Jim have refused to even open his eyes.

He hurries to look away again, but before he do he is able to see the hulk of Silver by the stairs to the galley with the pink dot of Morph at his side, he, too, in observation of what happens. The train of thought he have had earlier this morning comes back, and small amounts of sadness finds its way thru his still afraid mind.

* * *

Day 19, 17:29 o'clock

Silver and Jim are both in the galley, in the process of preparing the dinner to the whole crew. They don't speak, not even a single syllable, as it seems to have become their normal existence as soon as they are near each other. The teen feels even like he could be alone in the galley and still not notice any difference.

But there should be a difference. There should be talk, sounds and pranks. There should be life in a galley, not like this sullen silence. There should be a difference between Silver being here and not being here, and if this continues it is likely that Jim will grow mad from the quiet and the boredom.

Is this really how it will end between him and Silver?

_No._ Jim gets a nasty look about him, as anger fills him up and finally with a made decision in his mind._ It will not end like this._ He remembers back to his childhood on Montressor. A lonely childhood. A friendless childhood. And for the last half of it, a fatherless and troubled childhood. Even though he wouldn't call the cook a completely fledged friend, Jim refused to let go of someone he even remotely feels friendship to now. Not that the teen would admit it to anyone if Silver is a friend or not, but this can't be left to disappear after all this trouble. Even how awkward this talk might turn out to be, Jim have decided to make it nonetheless.

As he turns to Silver, Jim concentrates solemnly on his goal, with the pouch with the ever growing bats around his front. The small creatures are becoming lively, and it is a wonder that they settles with lying all six of them cramped in inside a mall pouch when they are getting as big as this. "Enough of this, Silver," the teen says. "We need to talk."

The cook turns around from his work, weary and with a brow raised. He studies the cabin boy for a silent moment, and when he speaks his voice is oddly raspy. _No, not raspy. Older, and tired._ "What about, lad?"

"You know what," Jim spits out, as he feels the irritation rise at Silver not catching on. Or at least pretending not to catch on. Silver narrows his eyes a bit at that, still weary. Jim gets a hold of himself quickly and reminds himself of the reason of why he speaks up to begin with.

"Now, I don't know about you, but I will not accept what happened. I will probably hate myself for this, but to hell with it. If I need to apologize to make it better, then I do it." Jim breathes in deeply, as he swallows his pride for the sake of keeping a somewhat stable friendship. First up, the easier apology of the two he have in store.

"I am sorry for what I did with the longboat," Jim continues. "I shouldn't have tried to leave the ship without telling anyone, nor make it seem like I would leave forever." Now for the harder one. "Neither will I push you again the way I did. I was unfair and I was too hard. I should have just answered your question honestly and then leave it to that."

The cabin boy breathes out a shaky breath. The words are out now. The apologies now hangs there in the air between them, in wait to see if Silver are to accept them or not. Jim observes the cook, whose weary face takes on a serious look. The cook takes his time, while he lets the silence grow long and heavy. And all the time he observes the teen, as he seemingly puts every twitch in the cabin boy's face into memory. With every second Jim feels himself grow more uncomfortable.

"You know, here I thought that I needed to apologze for my behavior again," the cook utters and finally puts an end to the silence as he breaks a small smile. "I shouldn't apologize, what I have done might be really hard to forgive." It is here Silver shrugs and holds his both hands out a bit. "Why even try, right?"

"But you, even though we have not known each other more than -what? Three weeks is it now?- and still you forgave me. Both for locking you up in a barrel AND threatening to let go of you while I hold you over the side of the ship, even after hearing me say that I might have done worse. And now…" Silver pauses only for a fraction of a second to give a nod towards Jim. "Now YOU apologize for pissing me off, after a good blow into the wall."

"Well, I asked for it," Jim mutters still in a sullen voice, not pleased to be reminded of it. He have been right to expect this to be a bit awkward, but it is only a tiny bit. He have thought that it would be worse.

"So what if you asked for it?! There is no reason to throw a pup like yourself into a wall."

"Don't forget that I hit you once," Jim points out, as he thinks back on the day that he actually have gotten to spend a time out in the barrel.

"HAH! You call that a hit?" Silver waves away with a meaty hand and even an bigger smile now. "I call that a kiss from a mosquito." Jim chuckles a little at that, a small break from his currently dark mood. "There need to be more force than that to make an impression on this old spacebird, my boy," the cook points at himself and absolutely beams at the moment, all thanks to see that he actually have been capable to cheer his cabin boy up for just a moment.

Jim doesn't have to doubt that one bit.

And so, just like that, they have forgiven and forgotten the showdown that have only transpired the day before yesterday. You could almost say that it never have happened even though they would bring it up in the heat of the moments when they come across another disagreements, as disagreements even can be found in the best of friends. From this day, their everyday accusations are less serious, their fights less hectic and their haunts more friendly. And never, EVER, do they get so violent so that they physically hurt each other. It seems that there is something there, like an invisible barrier, which stops their arguments to go too far.

Furthermore, from this moment on, whenever they do a prank on the other, they laugh less at the other and more with the other. And both know that the one receiving the prank is laughing merrily on the inside.

* * *

**Hello, everyone. Here comes another chapter. I just want to say that the prank will resume at this time, but more chapters that is more concentrated of Silver's and Jim's relationship might come later.**


	14. Day 20: Jim Hawkins, Gravy

Day 20, 11:49 o'clock

Jim feels himself in the need of a laugh, especially now when the pranks have not been as they should and the fights that he have had with Silver. All morning the teen have tried to figure out what kind of prank that he should do, but nothing comes to mind. The block have dragged on for a good while, and Jim is starting to get irritated on himself for it.

That is until he gets an opportunity that he have never thought that he would get again. Silver have namely taken another nap in the galley. The cook is sloped over the table, and soft snores comes from him in pace with his pace. When Jim sees the sight of Silver's still figure when the boy enters the galley he immediately gets a grin on his face as an idea pops into his head. He goes as silently as he can and around the galley in search of something he can use, and the grin only widens when the teen finds the perfect thing: some half-stale gravy from a dish some one day past.

He takes ahold of a ladle and carefully scoops up a spoonful of the gravy. Then, with the ladle in his grasp, the teen approaches Silver and places the gravy in the open palm of the cook's organic hand. While Jim are placing the gravy Silver starts to trash around a bit, even mumbling something half-intangible. The cabin boy freezes, as he observes the sleeping figure and hopes to the god of all pranks that Silver aren't waking up. But Silver settles again, as he haven't noticed anything thru the foggy drowsiness. Jim continues with the operation without any more interruptions.

The next thing he rummages forth is a bushy quill, deadly ticklish to the sensitive nerves in the face. Jim proceeds to carefully brush the quill over Silver's face, while he himself barely can fight back his laughs. The cook's other hand, the metal one, comes up to wave the irritation away, but there is none to find as Jim have moved the quill out of reach. When the mechanic hand settles on the big stomach Jim tries again. This time Silver makes a grimace in his sleep while the metal arm shoots up again. The organic stays still, though. On the boy's third try, however, he succeeds.

The organic hand comes up, and the gravy is smeared over Silver's whole face. The wet, strange feeling brings the cook out of his slumber with a surprised, if not a tiny bit confused, sound. He hastily examines his hand, his eyes blinks at the light brown color that clearly tells that he is dumbstruck. For a second he doesn't seem to understand, but it doesn't take long to figure the situation out. When Silver sharply turns his head towards Jim the boy couldn't contain it any longer. The laugh comes bubbling up his throat, even when a small fear for the cook to get furious is present and prominent in chest.

Silver's eyes the teen for a moment while the boy's laughter rings out to fill the galley, still a bit dumbstruck. But then, in a heartfelt surprise to Jim, the cook smiles. It looks even odder, with some of the small clumps of the gravy running down his cheeks and on to his shirt, and sends another fit of laughter into the cabin boy.

"Well played, Jimbo," the cook chuckles. "Well played."

* * *

Day 20, 14:16 o'clock

Once again Jim is hoisted up into the air, with the rope tightly and securely tied around him. And once again does he refuse to close his eyes at any moment during the way up. He gets to a halt about halfway up, roughly at the same height as the yesterday, and the day before that. He is scared, but not as scared he have been. Amelia have ordered to do this every day until the fear have gone by fully or are manageable. Jim isn't too happy about the thought, but he do want the fear gone so he have agreed.

He looks down at the sight below, that have terrified him so. He smiles a triumphant smile when he is able to do so without getting overly scared, not even after looking down for several seconds while he takes a slow, calm breath.

He sees Silver down on the deck below, and both Amelia and Dr. Doppler as well. Many of the crewmen are there, too. "Mr. Hawkins," Amelia calls to him. "Do you feel like getting higher up?"

Jim can't help but to gulp at the thought of going higher, but he knows he can't get more ready than this. He confirms that he is ready, and feels himself shiver while he tries to resist the temptation of shutting his eyes. He refuses to give in, although he do believe that he should wait with looking down from the new height until a later try.

"Don't give up, Jim," the teen hears Delbert reassure, yet again in charge over the bats while Jim is busy. "Keep your courage up."

"Oh, yeah?" Jim smiles, as he tries to stay cheerful despite the dread he have over his head. It helps, but only a tiny bit. He keeps on grinning though as he doesn't want to show the truth. "If you think you have the courage you might keep me company up here. It is a fantastic view, I know you would love it, doctor."

He knows that Dr. Doppler might not be too impressed by the response.

* * *

Day 20, 16:29 o'clock

"Now, Jimbo, I want you to listen very closely."

Jim and Silver is both carrying boxes full of dried and preserved food from a visit that they just have done to the pantry, and they are on their way back to the galley with them. They have chatted away for a while, mostly of it is Silver that is trying to poke fun of Jim for the need to get up amongst the sails all the time. But now Silver have turned serious, and walks closely to Jim as if he is about to tell a secret. The teen perks up an eyebrow at the change, but also glad that the cook have stopped joking at his expense.

"I would like to tell you that you are very brave for going up there again and again. To face a fear every day is a very big thing, indeed." Silver locks eyes with Jim, and smiles faintly. "However much I make fun of it, I would like you to know that."

"Huh, it isn't that much," Jim tries to shrug off, in a try to brag and make it sound if it is nothing. They both know that it wasn't true, though. "It's just to look ahead and take deep breath."

"Oh?" Silver faints surprise in a jokingly matter, as he temporarily breaks his serious manner. "Well, in that case I might volunteer you to stand in the bird nest and keep watch tomorrow." That only gives him a glare from the teen, as the cook chuckles merrily.

"But Jimbo, seriously, it is very strong of you." The seriousness is back, and after saying that the cook seems to shine a bit as he goes ahead to open the side door to the galley. "And I guess I only want to tell you that I'm proud of you."

Jim stops dead in his tracks, as his jaw drops a bit and eyes looks in astonishment at Silver's back. Have the cook just said what the boy thinks he said? _That he are proud? Over me?_ No-one have said that to him other than his mother, and never have he thought that Silver would say it. It is as unexpected as it is unbelievable. And neither have the teen thought that the fuzzy feeling in his chest would make itself known after hearing such words from someone as Silver.

* * *

**Hey, guys. Sorry for the short chapter, but I DID write one that are 5000 words long. The pranks have, however, really come back in this one.**


	15. Day 22: John Silver, Laxatives

**Boom! Suprice! :D ;b**

* * *

Day 22, 05:26 o'clock

Silver isn't a bad person, he really isn't. He doesn't really want to hurt anyone, but at times it only happens because of his bad temper. When his temper goes up, something that might happen fast in some instances, he agrees with that, he can lose control over himself. But that won't make him bad, does it?

He have come upon many persons that are complete scoundrels and downright scums of the whole universe. They can have a complete absence of a conscious, and can hurt or kill without to spend a single second thought about it. Therefor he have worn his own conscious as a shining pride to himself. But it isn't often that he shows it to people due to the bad consequences it most definitely would bring.

In really bad situations, to show that you have a conscious can get you killed. Especially if you are in the wrong kind of company, and most of the crew on this ship is of the wrong kind of company. Silver can personally guarantee that, for reasons he rather not talk about. Let's call it personal reasons and just leave it at that.

The feelings that stirs in Silver's chest only proves the existence of his own conscious and that a friendship between him and the teen have rooted when the cook have observed the boy's trip in the air. Silver have felt a strong sympathy for the boy every time the teen is to be hoisted up, and a fear that the cabin boy would fall down to his doom comes to the cook every time. The cook knows very well that the cabin boy is secure in the rope that he is dangling from, but no-one have seemed to have told Silver's emotions about it. Not only is there sympathy and fear, but also guilt for Silver himself being the reason for the whole spectacle.

And now, when the fact of him getting a soft spot for Jim, he is beginning to wonder if it might create problems for those personal reasons. As these personal reasons, when they are to get out -they definitely will- are to stir up some angry feelings for poor little Jimbo and a few others. Silver knows that he have to reveal these things to the cabin boy by the time they come to the treasure planet, but he rather wait with it until that day comes. Silver only hopes he can do it quiet and carefully when it well do come.

So, with his treasured conscious and newfound soft spot for Jim, he have felt incredibly guilty for what he have done to the teen. No one are to throw a child into a wall. For the whole day after that particular incident he have felt bad about it and near to nothing in shame. And he have had planned to do the same the whole day yesterday, too. Maybe that's what Jim have figured to do himself from the beginning, for egging Silver on to throw the kid into the wall.

Then the most unexpected happened. Or maybe the cook should have expected it, as the teen have done it before. Jim have forgiven him. He have _forgiven_ him. Forgiven Silver wholeheartedly. That have the cook not experienced in his whole life. He wouldn't have done the same in the same situation, but that might be the whole charm to diversity between different people. Jim have done something Silver never would have done, and thereafter featured such a goodness that Silver couldn't do anything else than marvel.

Silver have really found something good in Jim. A somewhat of a friend in the most unlikeliest of places; a lonely, rebellious pup from the most peaceful areas that Montressor and its spaceport called Crescentia happens to lie in.

Silver smiles for himself at the fact. He finds himself to have a feeling he rarely have otherwise over this currently unstable friendship to the teen, and also for the kid's act of forgiveness. It is pride. Although, he would never fathom himself of admitting it to anyone. He even have some trouble to admit it to himself.

Now is everything good again… or almost everything. Silver and Jim is friends again, even how unwilling at the start and how uncertain it is at the moment, but the teen still needs help from Amelia with this fear of heights. There have been improvements, Silver have seen it, but there is a distance to go still. The cook can only put faith in the captain, and hope that Amelia can see this all the way thru.

* * *

Day 22, 12:14 o'clock

In the galley the six bats could barely sit still. They have become big enough, strong enough and acquired sophistication enough over their own bodies for flying. It is still not a full-fledged skill yet, but they are able to flap their way a meter or so into the air and then proceed to glide their way down again. They are breaking new ground, though, as they are willing to train on it and incorporate their new talent into their plays and frolics. Something that Jim isn't too happy about at all.

The teen have been used to them either being in their pouch around his stomach or being close by, but as they have soon grown to their full size and gained this half-good flight they have braved further away from him. It makes it hard to keep track on them. And that the bats are trying their own limits as the youngsters that they are seems to only make Jim more worried.

"Jokes, leave Trove alone," the boy barks at two of them that are playing way too rough with each other to Jim's liking. "Star, stop climbing in the roof," Jim turns to another bat that are currently upside-down up in the wooden grating that makes a part of the roof to the galley, with good grip of the fabric thanks to its claws. "Flint and Lil'Jim, don't you dare to get up those stairs," the teen commands at the two last bats that have just begun their half-climb, half-flying way up the galley stairs and towards freedom and exploration.

There is one bat though that doesn't move around like the others, and that happens to be Plum. The slightly larger creature have gained a bit more mass than its siblings due to its love to the fruit that shares its name. Plum is waiting patiently on the tabletop and observes Jim with big eyes that clearly expects a treat for its good behavior.

"Here, Plum, have another one," Silver chirps up from where he sits at the table and obviously enjoys the show, while he reaches out to the calm bat with a piece of fruit. "Just because you are so well-mannered." Plum turns towards the fruit and gratefully starts to chum on it. The creature doesn't grab the fruit for itself and lets the fruit lie in Silver's metallic hand.

"Silver, stop feeding him like that," comes the voice from Jim. "He grows too big."

"Ooh, listen to the mother hen, how she clucks over her little chickens," Silver teases. That only grants the cook a poisonous glare. Of course it doesn't have its intended effect, as Silver only chuckles and let's Plum eat the whole piece.

In the end Jim is able to gather all the bats on the table to feed them a mix of meat scraps and insects. All except for Plum, who Jim thought have had enough food. Silver have given that bat two whole plums while Jim have minded the others. When Silver observed the bats eat he gets an idea of what prank he are to do today. It does involve food, and fi his memory serves him right this will be the second time food is playing a part in one of the cook's pranks.

The prank doesn't take long to prepare, as it is easy to slip in something extra in Jim's bowl when Silver prepares the lunch for the two. And when the teen eats without any suspicion Silver tries his best to act normal, when in reality all he wants to do is to grin so much that his face might get split in half.

* * *

Day 22, 12:37 o'clock

"Silver, when I get out of this I will kick your sorry ass sore," Jim all but growls, death in his eyes and his mind ready to get even if it is the last thing he does in life. He sits with his pants down around his ankles and his backside over the gunwale while he holds hard on the railing. He tries to keep his main point on the safe side of the rail while he strains to get his business done. The teen is incredibly thankful that there are no other crewmen on deck to see this sorry scene, as all of them are off to eat lunch.

Silver only points and laughs at the sight in front of him. What the cook have put into Jim's bowl happens to be laxatives, and now, 20 minutes later, the teen have a hard time to keep his bowels in check. Silver knows that the captain will demand the mess that currently covers the side of the ship to be cleaned up, but it all are worth it.

"Kick my ass, you say?" Silver laughs as he wipes his eyes. "I want to see that."

Silver have thought that Jim would have been close enough to the privy when the effect of the laxatives would kick in. But this can only be described as a hilarious twist.

* * *

Day 22, 15:54 o'clock

As he works away in the galley Silver hums and whistles a happy tune. He have only Morph as company at the moment, while Jim is of doing chores that the cook have asked the boy to do. Morph is happily observing the cook while he works, and sometimes chirps whenever it wants a treat. A treat that Silver might or might not give, depending on his mood. The time crawls by, but the memory of today eases it a bit. Silver even allows himself to chuckle from time to time at Jim's reaction. It seems that the laxatives have some kind of prolonged effect, as the teen have needed to go to the privy several times over.

The idyllic peace is suddenly broken when a small fluttering object falls thru the wooden fence in the roof. Silver looks from his work, a bit puzzled at the movement he saw from the corner of his eye. The cook comes closer, with an equally puzzled Morph at his heels that glances over his shoulder at the object on the floor. It turns out to be one of Jim's bats.

"Oh, poor thing," Silver sighs and looks up at the fence. "Did you accidentally fall down?" When no answer comes Silver looks down at the animal, that clearly wonders what just happened and where he have gone to. "Shouldn't you be with Jimbo?"

The bat looks up towards the fence in the roof and calls out, a sound that clearly states that it want to get back up, to the safety of Jim that it sees as its mother. Immediately the creature starts to flap with its wings and into the air it goes. It doesn't go far though, as it starts to look tired at about Silver's chest area, and completely exhausted at the level of the cook's head.

"Now, now, don't strain yourself," Silver says and carefully snatches it in the air. "You will be able to fly up there, but it is clearly not today."

Silver gets baffled at the bat's reaction, which is as follows. The bat creature looks up at silver with irritation and lets out a cry that definitely lets the cook know that it doesn't agree. Then it starts to flap again with renewed strength. It gets into the air, and before Silver is able to get ahold of it again it is out of his reach. It gives the fence another try. It flaps and flaps, and it gets closer and closer to the square holes that is big enough for it to get thru. The climb goes slower and slower the higher up it goes, thought.

Silver observes the struggle, all the while he have placed himself under the bat in case it would not be able to flap anymore and fall down. He have even snatched his hat from the bench nearby and holds it out, ready to catch the bat in it. Behind him Silver hears Morph give a worried sound. Silver worries over its safety, too, as he knows that Jim would never forgive him if anything happens to the bats while Silver has the watch over them. The teen have gotten very attached to these animals.

As the bat gets closer to the roof Silver finds himself cheering it on, even though the worry is still there. Silently at first, but it grows higher as the bat gets closer. He wants the bat to succeed, he wants it to be able to fly, and he feels that this is much like a trial on it. A test to see how far the bat is willing to go to get back to Jim.

The bat is inches away now, but it have halted almost to a standstill. The bat pants and sweats over the effort, but it really wants to get back to its mother so it doesn't give up for everything in the world. "Come on, you beast of a heart," Silver breathes. "Come on." When it comes to the very last inch Silver holds his breath in anticipation, and for a short second the world stands still and silent. The second after Silver just stands there in the galley, and grins like a fool with his hat in his hands.

The bat have made it, and the cook knows that it wat a good feat. When Silver later tells Jim about it the teen shows a proud grin. It was at that moment the cook something, though, when he sees the pride radiate from the teen. The bats are starting to get ready to leave their nest and their mother. These are the bats that he have taken care of for 10 days. Even though it is something that have been forced on him in the beginning for getting them as eggs in the first place and that the teen have gone behind Silver's back, sincere feelings have come to grow from it all. Jim have taken to honestly care for these creatures.

So will Jim be ready to let go and say goodbye to them?


	16. Day 23: Jim Hawkins, Glue In Hat

Day 23, 11:27 o'clock

"The thing is, a good surfer board needs to be as light as possible but still have as much power that it can," Jim explains, as he cuts the last part of the peel of the potato that he is currently holding before he puts it on a smaller mountain similarly peeled potatoes. He then takes another and swiftly starts working on it. "Every part in the perfect board are to be trimmed down as it can without getting to weak for its purpose."

As usual he have the pouch around his front with the bats, a stretched package that at times moves from the motions from within. In reality the pouch is most definitely too small now, but the bats doesn't mind. They mostly thinks it very comfy and cuddly.

"Yeah, I got that, but isn't there a limit for it?" Silver wonders, as he, too, gets the root fruit ready. "What if it gets too fast to be controlled? Too hard to get controlled?"

"Then it only needs a driver good enough to surf on it."

John scoffs, as he finds the reply ridiculous. "Isn't there a limit to that, too?"

"No, I wager I could drive it." Jim replies and gets a gleam in his eyes, a light that Silver haven't really seen there before but wouldn't question nonetheless. "I would give my right arm for a board like that. Streamlined with an aluminum thruster that have a real kick to it." Jim gives the cook a look with only a hint of irritation. "A board that can outrun any longboat."

"Jimbo, lad," Silver says with a teasing warning to it. "Sometimes it isn't a question of outrunning, but rather a question of outsmarting or outmaneuvering. But I can grant you that your strength is not amongst any of those, if you ever thought that it might."

"Oh, yeah?" the teen smiles, ready to prove the cook wrong. "I bet you I can outrun, outsmart and outmaneuver anyone."

"Very well, then. I bet you that you can't run one lap around the top deck within ten seconds," Silver grins, and points towards the stairs.

"You're on," comes the answer without any hesitation.

It is proven only five minutes later, when the potatoes are all peeled and done, that Jim could do it in six seconds. He even did it with the pouch with the bats around his stomach. Silver argues thought that Jim have been supposed to take the observation deck as well, while Jim protests with the claim that the cook never have mentioned anything about it before. After a moment of lively discussion on the matter the bet is ruled not passed by the older man, much to the teen's objection, and a new bet is made. This one is if Jim is smart enough to find Morph in a game of hide and seek or not.

The teen is able to find it, but Silver deems the find not acceptable as Morph haven't been in hiding at the moment they 'waltzed' in, as John words it. Jim tells him that Morph only hid in plain sight, but Silver argues for that strategy to work Morph aren't supposed to be its regular pink self, not loudly munching on a cookie and not completely oblivious about the bet.

"Who made you the judge on what passes?" the teen wonders as the will to pass at least one bet shows, and the irritation over the invalidity declarations shows even more.

"A man with good judgement," Silver answers without a doubt, while Morph observes the two of them with a worried expression and still holds the rests of its cookie.

"Who's that?"

"Me."

Jim gets a deadpanned face, and glares at the other man with tired eyes. "You kidding, right?"

"Jimbo, do I look like I'm kidding you?" the cook asks with a serious voice, and straightens himself as he does.

"Yes," comes the answer without a single second in delay as a smug smile begins to spread on the teen's face. "In fact, all of you looks like a joke right now." Silver glares down at the teen, as the cook doesn't believe what he hears. "A big joke," is added only seconds after, which only earns the ever more grinning boy an evil eye that even Scroop and the long dead captain Flint would be envious about. But Silver does this evil eye with a smile, that doesn't make it as threatening as it should have been.

"I think that you have the definition of japes all wrong. I should tell you some to get your head around the concept."

"But until then I think that it is time for me to try you for a change," the teen decides.

"Yes, I concur to the highest," Silver agrees, now his time to show what he's made of. "Hit me with it."

And that Jim does. The teen bets that the cook can't make a knot with his eyes closed. John huffs that the bet is ridiculously easy while he closes his eyes, and in his hands turns a rope with a knot magically up. Now it is Jim's turn to say that the bet isn't beaten, and his reasoning is that Morph isn't supposed to fly into John's open hands and turn into a knotted piece of rope. The cook protests loudly.

* * *

Day 23, 14:13 o'clock

The day crawls its way to the afternoon. In total Jim and Silver have done 27 bets, and it all ended when Dr. Doppler gets furious over them 'borrowing' his equipment that he uses to look at the stars. Let's just say that the cook and the cabin boy didn't use them for astronomy, as what they did with the things have made Delbert so mad that he began to stutter. Something that is highly unusual according to Jim, as the teen have not really seen the doctor that angry that often.

Now Jim and Silver are back at the galley, as they work away with their chores. Or at least Silver is, as Jim have stepped out for a while. The teen is away to find Dr. Doppler to ask if he can take care for the bats for a while. When the teen comes back down without the bats he finds the galley empty, and the boy guesses that the cook are away for a short while. That's when Jim gets sight of Silver's hat, or what the boy believes to be Silver's hat. Within 15 seconds a lightbulb lights up in the teen's mind, and a wicked grin spreads in his face.

Away he goes to quickly fetch some glue, then he comes right back and gets ahold of the hat. He puts some glue in the hat, at places where it didn't show at first glance, then he scurries to put the glue back. After that he only needs to act natural. Not long after comes Silver into the galley, while he whistles to himself. He is, indeed, without his hat and only with his bandana on his head that is knotted behind his neck.

"Good, you're back," Silver smiles. "I think that some hallways needs to be moped."

"Yeah, yeah, I get to it," Jim smiles back, but not to be courteous. He have his mind full of the images of Silver as the cook tries to get the hat of his head. Although, now when Jim sees the handkerchief on the other man's head the teen figures that the hat might just get stuck with the bandana.

The teen goes to collect the mop and the bucket that hides in a dark corner of the galley, and is in the middle of getting to said hallways when he sees Silver to put on his hat. Jim smiles widens a bit, but then he is forced to make a double take and makes a discovery that is devastating to the prank. _It is the wrong hat!_ The smile dissipates in a heartbeat, and Jim's eyes darts to the hat that he have put the glue in. To his increasing confusion he sees that the hat with the glue surely isn't Silver's, now when the teen takes a better look at it. _But whose hat is it, then?_

The answer strides into the galley that very moment. Into the room, with Mr. Arrow right behind per usual, comes a hatless captain Amelia. "Captain, sir," Silver greets with a smile, oblivious to Jim whose eyes threatens to bulge right out of the teen's skull. "I hope I haven't been too much trouble to show you our remaining inventory of the pantry."

"No, not too much trouble," Amelia agrees, and as usual she doesn't break the faintest of smiles back to the cook. "But I guess it was worth it." She then begins towards the stairs, with her second-in-command in tow.

"Don't forget your hat, captain, sir," John gladly and helpfully points out, together with a nod towards the innocent looking headwear. "It's right where you left it."

A silent 'Oh, sh…' is heard from Jim before he hurryingly half sprints, half march out of the galley thru the side door, in an attempt to leave the crime scene as fast as he can. He hopes badly that none of the other three pays him any heed as he takes a final look behind his back before he slinks out. The last he sees is Amelia when she grabs hold of her hat while she murmurs a silent thanks to Silver. The last the teen hears only a second later, when he is out in the hallway outside the side door, is the captain's voice.

"Let's be off, Mr. Arrow," she says. "We have a lot to do today."

With a mop and a bucket in each hand, Jim flits of to find some kind of safety in whatever hiding spot or other place other than the galley he can find.

* * *

Day 23, 14:59 o'clock

Jim is mopping the floor nervously. He's scared, although if someone would ask he would surely deny it. He is head over heel scared, so scared that he just might melt into a puddle and disappear into the fabric of the wooden floor over what he have done. There have been a line, haven't it? A prominent line, which the teen never ever are to cross. Never make a fool out of Silver in front of the captain, even worse to do it on the captain's expense. That is a lesson that Jim have learned the hard way, with the oil on Silver's mechanical limbs. The sight of the dark nothingness below the ship and the fear of being dropped is still clear as calm water in Jim's mind.

The teen argues with himself that he should say how the way of things are to Silver, but wonders if he really should. If the teen wouldn't say anything to Silver, or anyone for that matter, the captain would surely misunderstand and might put the blame on the cook. Or not. _But the chance is there._ The cook will surely get angry either way. _But maybe he will get less angry if I told him._ The thought doesn't seem reassuring, neither does the teen's suspicion that if Silver really would get less angry if told of the mix-up. _I never even knew that the captain was down there. How would I have seen what hat would be the captain's?_

Jim gives the bucket an angry kick in frustration over his current situation, but he puts more force into the kick than he intends to and knocks the bucket over. The soapy water spreads over the hallway floor that he just have finished. The small accident only serves to anger him more, and he throws the mop down by his feet. He curses the bucket, the mop as well and the soapy water for good measure. He curses his troubles, but of course that doesn't make them all go away.

He kicks again, this time at the wall. He curses yet once more and proceeds to hit the wall as hard as he can. That only gives him a strong pain in in the hand, which he curses over, too. He even curses the wall that didn't even get the smallest of dints. He curses the boat, he curses its crew, he curses captain Amelia, Mr. Arrow and Silver. He curses the treasure planet, the Benbow inn and even the pesky policebots that have caught him so many times during his numerous adventures around his home area on Montressor. He basically curses his whole life.

The pain in his hand together with the currently limitless anger he feels brings frustrated tears to his eyes, tears that he doesn't want. He wipes them away, furious over them to even show up. He even goes as far as to curse them to oblivion. He then sinks down and sits on the floor, exhausted over his outburst.

He rarely gets them anymore, but they did come more frequent when he have been smaller. Especially the period after his father left without as much as an explanation. Jim have been mad and sad over it. Sad-mad you could say. But most of all he have felt useless for not have been able to stop it, to have been able to run up his father and just made him stay. He have rushed after him as soon the teen have figured he left. Jim have almost caught up with him, too, as the teen's father walks up on the ship that are to take him far, far away.

The boy have only been seconds away to get on the plank that they have put between the smaller pier and the ship, but it have been enough for the crewmen to take the plank away. Jim have screamed for him, screamed at him and have reached for him. In the midst of Jim's screams he have asked his father why he would leave.

The memories up to this point have only been half clear, but it is this moment he remembers best. He remembers that his father haven't even turned around to face him, and the frame of the grown man with his dark jacket and a backpack thrown over his shoulder is burned into his mind. It is hidden away in the back of Jim's head, together with a faint feeling that he knows the answer to why he leaves.

It have been because of Jim himself.

He still do feel useless and sad-mad. He buries his face in his arms that are folded tightly over his knees, which he have brought up against his chest. He curses himself for bringing up the thoughts of his father, the teen doesn't want to think about him now after all this time. He doesn't want anything to do with him. The thoughts have come to his mind without his consent. Why have it come up in the first place he wonders. But he knows the answer.

Because Jim can't face the wrath and the judgement of Silver again, because he doesn't want to get the cook into more trouble and because he, even how much he might hate himself for it right now, is looking up to the other man like a father. _I shouldn't care what he thinks. I should be glad to be able to make him mad. To make his life miserable. Why should I tell him?_ But he knows that he should tell him, or at least do anything about it. And he hates himself at the moment for it.

* * *

Day 23, 15:17 o'clock

Loud voices is heard when Jim comes on the top deck. He is done with the hallway floors and have put away the mop and the bucket in the galley. He have calmed down from his outburst earlier and is now trying to find Silver to tell him about the glue and the hat. He fears that the loud voices means that he is too late, as one of them belongs to an angry captain.

"I know that it is Silver's doing," Jim hears her declares with a snarl. "The only time I didn't have my hat on was when I went thru the pantry with him."

"True," Mr. Arrow agrees, and Jim hears that he isn't as mad as Amelia but clearly a bit distressed. "But remember that we always were with him. And most importantly of all, your hat was in the galley while we three were in the pantry during most of our time there."

"Then he must have done it just before we went to the pantry, while the two of us didn't look."

"Unlikely. I watched him the entire time."

Amelia's mood takes a turn to the worse as she finally shows up from the observation deck, with a mad hairstyle and with her hat hanging down one side of her face by her hair and her eyes is burning with cold, calm rage. "Then who else can it be?" she wonders. "He have done such things before. Don't forget the time he crashed into me and almost crushed me to death in the process. Or the time he hurled that bottle with… whatever it was, it stunk like the inside of someone's bowels." Jim cringes, and hopes she doesn't reference when Silver put laxatives in the teen's food.

Mr. Arrow appears behind her, as he keeps even steps with the captain. "It could be anyone," he points out. "Your hat did lay completely unsupervised."

Amelia halts and sharply swirls around to face her second-in-command. "I won't punish my whole crew for the sake of punishing one man, Arrow. My first suspect is Silver, as he seems to have targeted me in the past. Sure, it could have been Hawkins as well." Here she signs towards Jim with a flick of a hand, which makes the teen gulp hard. "But I will interrogate him first after Silver." With that she turns away from Mr. Arrow and continues towards the stairs to the galley, and the second-in-command silently follows without another argument.

There is a deep instinct in Jim that tells him if he finds his wellbeing dear he should not anger the captain any further. Something in Amelia's way of showing her cold anger have that effect on him, a strange feeling that he never expected to get before. Yet he knows that he now must disregard that instinct and put himself in her path to tell her it have been him, and not Silver, that have put glue in her hat. So he takes a deep breath and does just that.

* * *

Day 23, 15:30 o'clock

"Well…," Jim muses, as he reflects the day's events. "It could have ended much worse." He sighs and takes a seat to wait, as there isn't much else to do behind the bars of the ship's brig. "Silver owes me bigtime."

* * *

**The credit of this chapter's prank with the glue in Amelia's hat and have her initially blame Silver for it goes to judygumm. And an imaginary cookie for the one that can spot a reference from the movie "Home" by Dreamworks.**


	17. Day 25: John Silver, Water and A Goodbye

Day 25, 05:06 o'clock

The captain have told Silver about what Jim have done. The reaction Silver have over the prank on the captain is out of character to say the least, much to the surprise to cook himself. The cook didn't know if he are to laugh or scowl, so he goes along the line of holding back his snickers and only tries to let out the occasional snarl and angry mumbles while he listens to Amelia's story. He have wished that he could have gotten thru without the snickering, but he couldn't help himself. It is all brilliant!

Silver couldn't stop the snickering from coming when he and Amelia have parted. Although he would usually get mad when the captain gets in trouble, especially if it comes from his way in any form. But this time not the smallest suspicion is thrown at him. Jim have taken the whole blow himself, a thing that Silver never thought that the teen would do. It is the right thing to do, but a thing that the boy usually might have let pass due to the irritation he and the cook have had in the beginning. Now, though, the fact that the teen have stood up for the mistake he have done, and that he did it to protect someone like the cook from a mad captain, says tons.

Silver bets thought that he might not have thought the same if it have been his hat that Jim have put glue in. _I was probably the target, but how it could get so wrong is beyond me. It's both a good and a bad thing that it was Amelia's hat. _The face Silver gets to a mix of worry and relief over the thought of how things could have played out differently, two feelings that are close to being opposites of each other.

_Good in the sense that it could have been someone worse, like Scroop who have certainly killed the pup, and bad in the way that Amelia just so happens to be the one in charge and have the authority to throw me of the ship. But brilliant it was. _The cook smiles proudly for himself at the thoughts as he walks away. _Absolutely brilliant. The prank and the fact that he took the responsibility afterwards both._

If Silver would have guessed Jim would hide and laugh in silence while the boy watches Amelia scream and rage at the cook if the boy haven't taken the blow for what he have done. It is a reaction Silver would have expected out of the boy, and the cooks wonders why it is such a difference this time. He couldn't find much of an explanation himself. _Maybe the damns pup have begun to learn how to pick a fight and with who to do so. Hopefully he will only fight other pups in his own size, which he have actually change to take on._

The cook have though worked on as usual after the chat with Amelia, and it all goes more smoothly than he likes to now when he doesn't have to think that much on pranks and on what Jim might be doing to get himself in trouble. Although he miss to have a pair of extra hands and the company at times, he finds that it is a bit relaxing to be of with the kid for a few days. Even though the break from the pranks are welcoming these last two days, it will be fun to get back to them.

Maybe Silver will visit Jim today already, to deliver one of the pranks. The thought instantly send a smug grin up the cook's face. It is not like the boy can escape from it where he is sitting right now. Silver gloats to himself over Jim's future misfortune, over the many possibilities on how this could play out. He smiles self-satisfied after a whiles pondering, as he have come up with the most satisfactory one of the smaller list he have at the moment. He have even prepared for it the day before, he remembers to his big delight.

* * *

Day 25, 05:11 o'clock

With a big tub in his grasp that possibly only someone his size can carry alone Silver heads down towards the brig. When he enters he sees that the teen is still asleep in the cell's bunkbed, but it wouldn't be long until Jim is to wake up. The cook positions himself as close to the teen as the bars allows before he dumps the content over bunkbed and prisoner alike. It turns out to be water that have turned ice-cold from when it have spent the night out in the cold air. The boy gasps for air and flails from the shock, before his movements makes him drop to the ground.

"Good morning," John sings merrily while he lets his mechanic hand falls down to his side with the empty tub. "How are we feeling today?" He only gets a few more gulps and a death stare the second later, witch the cook only takes for a good sign. "It is a lovely day to sit behind bars, isn't it?" The teen refuses to answer and pouts a bit, angry to be locked in and not in any power to pay back until Amelia lets him out. It could be first when they come back from treasure planet before that happens.

"Go and choke on something, would you," Jim grumbles from where he sits at the floor.

The sight of the teen mope at his situation only makes Silver chuckle. This right here is a golden opportunity for the cook, and he can barely refrain himself from going overdrive with all the ideas of his potential pranks.

* * *

Day 25, 15:24 o'clock

Half of the day have gone by when Silver gets an unexpected visit from Dr. Doppler. The astronomer is still in charge over the bat-creatures since the day Jim got locked in, and will be until the time the teen gets out. But after it is clear why Delbert visits Silver it might not be that the bats will be left on the ship when Jim is out.

"What?" the cook asks, as he not really wants to believe it. "Are they ready to leave?"

"It seems so," Delbert confirms sadly. "They have flown by the side of the ship for several miles. They might leave any minute."

"They just leave? Like that?" Silver is baffled over the news. How will they be able to feed themselves? To take care of themselves? Do they even know how to catch insects to eat?

"I have seen them hunt some insects on their own these last days while Jim been in brig," informs the doctor. "They certainly have a good start on that, but they will probably need to train a bit more. They will learn fast, though, so they only need to stay together and see to it that they learn. For the rest of it is mostly instincts."

Silver hardly believes the doctor, but the cook have also learned of other species that learns fast and seems to know things from the very beginning. Some animals can walk and run pretty much perfectly within an hour after birth. Others knows to be quiet and to stay in the bush to avoid predators from day one in their life. And, of course, almost species are fast learners. So Silver knows that what Delbert says is true.

"But what about Jimbo?" Silver remembers. "Shouldn't he be here when they leave for good?"

Delbert snorts as he gives of a small grimace. "That is up to the captain."

Silver spends a fraction of a second to wonder why Dr. Delbert would have such a strong reaction of the thought of the captain, but it is quickly put aside. _Their problem, not mine._ The cook wouldn't think, though, that Amelia would let the teen out yet, as she seems still angry over the hat. With the knowledge that Jim wouldn't want to see the bats off without a goodbye Silver thinks that he should do a small surprise visit again to the teen. This time there wouldn't be any pranks.

"Does Jimbo know any of this?" Silver asks Delbert.

"No, if not anyone else have made the same observation and told him."

"Good."

With that Silver goes to work. He finds some scraps for the bats and with it persuades them into their pouch that he gets from Delbert. It takes some time to get all six bats back onto the ship, but in the end they are all out of their air. With the pouch secure in one hand the cook heads to the brig. As he come in the teen glares at him.

"Are you here to throw some more water on me?" a still not completely dry Jim wonders, with the rude awakening still fresh in his memory. "You better do it now, for when I get out of here I'll make sure you drown."

"No," Silver smiles and chuckles at the thought of throwing even more water at the cabin boy. _Oh, it will happen. _"I brought you something else, though." The cook then brings out the pouch and opens it to let the bats fly out. When they all are in the air they beelines to Jim all at once, which tackles him to the ground due to their combined force. All the bats squeals in joy and happiness to see their 'mother' again, and Jim smiles and laughs to see them. Silver lets them get settled door a few moments before he speaks again, and it is now that hi smile disappears.

"Look, Jimbo," the cook starts, not really sure how to tell the news. "There is something you should know."

"Yeah?" the teen speaks as he struggles onto his feet with all six bats clinging to his shirt. "What is it?"

"Well," Silver begins, uncertain. "According to doc the bats are ready to leave the nest."

Jim's head snaps up for him to meet Silver's eyes. "What?" The word comes quick, and the sound to it tells that the teen never really thought of the idea lately of letting them go.

"They are ready to leave," Silver repeats.

There is a small pause between them, where Jim only stares at the cook in chock and where Silver only can sadly meet his gaze. Then boy gives a strangled chuckle, which leads to a longer laugh that gets more certain towards the end. His eyes, that have been filled with surprise only seconds before, lights up somewhat. But it is still a hint of doubt in there. "Come on, Silver, I know that we thought about getting rid of them when I first got them as eggs, but that's-"

"I'm not joking," the cook cuts of. "They are really ready to go."

Jim stays silent and only stares, as the smile disappears and the little light that have gotten into his eyes seconds earlier goes away. He doesn't notice the sharp, small claws that jabs him thru the sweater from when the bats moves around, neither does he notice when one of them pokes it's little nose up and sniffs at his cheek as if to ask how things are going. "No," he finally says and shakes his head. "No, they can't. They won't."

Those words reminds Silver way how much of a child in some aspects Jim still is, as the cooks feels how sad he gets of seeing this scene and of hearing the teen say that. But still, this needs to be done. It is in this moment that Silver is reminded how he really dislikes to be an adult sometimes. "Jimbo, they will leave whether you want it or not."

"I will not let them." Like a small child that refuses to let go of a toy the teen brings his arms around the four bats that are on his front and groups them up against him protectively. "They are mine."

"Jimbo," the cooks warns, letting the boy know only by the mention of the nickname that what the teen is doing now is wrong. Silver tries to sound stern, but he doubt that it sounds that way. It probably sounds more sad and sympathetic than anything.

The kid turns silent, with deep furrows in his forehead. He doesn't look happy at all over the situation. After a while of silence he looks down on the four bats that he have in his grasp. They observe their 'mother', surely wondering why Jim cradles them. The two other bats comes up on each of the teen's shoulder and sniffs around, oblivious to what's happening. Silver lets the boy think in peace, as he patiently waits on an answer.

"Can I leave the brig to see them off?" Jim asks finally, the phrase silent as a whisper.

"I haven't asked the captain yet, but I guess she would disagree strongly of letting you out even for a minute."

The brig goes silent again, and the seconds counts away as the cabin boy glances on all the bats in turn. Silver sees it on him that he really wants to keep them, but the bats will probably just leave anyway. The boy can't really keep them in cages, now can he? There isn't any cages on the ship, and it would be way to much work to tend to them any longer. They will probably eat even more now, and Silver don't even want to think when their mating season begins. "Maybe it is for the best for me to stay here," he decides finally.

"You sure?" Silver asks. "I can let you out otherwise. Amelia will never know."

"I'm sure." Jim is silent for another time. "Can you let them go for me?" he sudden asks and looks up at the cook with sad eyes.

"Yes, I can," nods John.

"Today?"

"So soon, huh?"

The teen nods. After a last halt Silver understands this could become too hard for Jim if they drag out on this for too long. The kid have come to care deeply for the bats. But it is for the best to let the bats leave, to be free, rather to keep them. And if one or two of them decides to stay, then fine. Jim could take care of just one or two, even when they would be hungrier and the troubles that might come with their mating season. Rather that than all six of them, but that all remains to be seen.

"Can I be with them for a while first?" the teen wonders.

Silver is at first against the idea, but then wonders if just a little while will do that much damage. _But only for a little while._ "I'll be back in a moment, but I will not take long," agrees the cook. He leaves Jim to it and goes to work for 15 minutes for then to come back to the brig to retrieve the bats. The cook must say that he haven't seen the teen miserable too often. But today, right now and right here in the cell he is stuck in, Silver have been reminded all too well that this kid can have really bad days.

When the cook have collected all the bas in the pouch he gets to the top deck. He opens the pouch to let them all out into the free. It is like they know that this is the time to move on, as they all flies up high at once. They circle the masts a few times to get their bearings before they flies of, all of them together, and leaves no one behind. With the deed done, the cook stands there and looks at the direction the bats have flown of, and remembers the day he have first seen them.

Rest of the journey Silver finds the ship a bit more silent and still than before. And it is really sad.

* * *

Day 25, 16:55 o'clock

Since the cook know that Jim is under the weather when the bats went away Silver wants to cheer the boy up. And it isn't until now that he have figured how he can at least make the teen forget his loss for a moment. So he goes to make another visit to the brig. When Jim gets a look pf who it is to check up on him, or rather what this someone is carrying, the teen backs away as much as the cell allows and puts his hands and arms forward to protect himself.

"Oh, no!" he exclaims. "No! No, no, no! Silver, you wouldn't dare to do it again."

But no protests will help him, the second splash of water today goes thru the bars as if it is nothing and hits him square in the front. The water is not as cold as before, but that doesn't help that much. Silver snickers away from the typical glare the he is given. The cook seems to have been completely correct, thought; Jim seems to have utterly forgotten the bats at the moment.


	18. Day 28: Delbert Doppler, an Awry Prank

Day 28, 15:49 o'clock

Delbert Doppler's relationship, if you can even call it that, with the captain Amelia have never been on good terms. Rather on the worst possible terms. How things can go worse from there, thought, is something of a mystery, as their… *ahem*… 'acquaintance' have taken such a turn. It have gotten so bad that Dr. Doppler would tell her to go and do the worst thing possible in his mind, but he doesn't downright say it to her. For one, he thinks he is to fine to do such a thing and two, even that is too mild of a fate for her according to him.

What that worst possible thing that he can think of, thought, is something that he can't really agree on as the trend to change slightly over the years. Right now is to break both legs, as a few years ago it have been to slowly drown. Even before that it have been to be stung from head to toe by bees or wasps. Why he changes opinions about this matter is not really clear to him, and he have theorized by himself that he might just not like pain or death in general and therefor have a fear of every way to feel pain and every way to die. But then again, who doesn't?

Dr. Doppler surely hopes to spare the slightest second from her presence as he possibly can, especially when she is on the top deck or the observation deck. With a wish that Amelia can just leave the observation deck, Delbert can't help but to glare when he sees her stand there at this very moment. She just stands there, as she usually so often do, to observe the work of the others. Delbert refuses to get close to her as she stands there, even to spend time on the observation deck to observe the stars that he loves so much. The observation deck is his favorite place on the whole ship, as the sails are not covering the sky as they do on the deck below.

It seems like the observation deck is a favorite place for the captain, too, and the subject of the space of it have been up on discussion of their latest more aggressive fights. Those have been on the verge on getting physical, which is most unusual for both individuals. Amelia wants it so that she can observe the crewmen go on their business from a good view, and Delbert wants it to stargaze without acting like a trip line for others. But none want the other there.

As the doctor glares at the figure that is Amelia on the observation deck, Delbert is sure irritated that she is there. He stands by the stairs to the galley while he spies her way. Even though he is pretty much against what Jim and Silver is doing to each other, the doctor is happy about the outcome with the prank the other day with glue in the captain's hat. Amelia have been forced to cut her hair off to get the hat disconnected from her head, with Mr. Arrows help, of course.

The second-in-command have been able to cut so little of the hair off so that it barely is visible. To get the hair out of the hat, though, have been an entire other story indeed. After many ifs and buts from Amelia, Mr. Arrow deems it a lost cause and advises her to throw it away. She have die it scornfully, and have retrieved her spare hat.

While he remembers the event that only have happened the other day, Dr. Doppler gets an idea of a prank if his own. His first reaction is to wave the silly thought away, but on second glance he doesn't. He ponders on it, then ponders on it some more. And after a few moments of just brainstorming the idea he just have gotten he smiles.

He is against something as silly as pranks, sure, and people's time and energy could, and should according to Delbert himself, be put into better use. But once, just once, Delbert plans to execute one himself. And his target is standing on the observation deck, with a new hat and some of her hair missing. For once, in his otherwise structured, well-planned and usually uneventful life Delbert will cause trouble.

* * *

Day 28, 16:43 o'clock

Delbert looks for some time before he finally finds what he is looking for: an empty barrel with a lid that he fits perfectly in. And even better, he have succeeded to move it to the observation deck without either Amelia or Mr. Arrow noticing. So when the captain and her second-in-command are somewhere else entirely, the doctor takes the opportunity and climbs into the barrel. With the lid in place no one would suspect anything wrong.

Delbert feels how cramp it is inside the barrel after a while's waiting, and pitch-black is it, too. The air turns bad as well, as there isn't much holes in the barrel's walls to let fresh oxygen in. But it all is worth it when Delbert finds himself to hear someone outside the barrel. He can't identify who it is, but guesses it to be Amelia.

He sprints to action and shoots out of the barrel so that the lid flies away. He have also planned to make a sound, something like 'boo' or 'pop goes the weasel', but before he is able to there is a scream of surprise and fright that he didn't count with. It is not Amelia's voice, not even Mr. Arrow's. It turns out to be a newly released Jim that just have come from the brig. The first thought that runs thru Delbert's mind at this revelation is a quick moment of trying to figure out why Jim would be out of the brig. Amelia have certainly been angry enough to have the teen imprison far longer over the matter with the glue in her hat.

The next course of events can only be described as unfortunate. "Argh!" screams the teen from the not so pleasant surprise and stumbles backwards, away from Delbert in the barrel. Jim then loses his footing in the stairs that goes to the deck below, accompanied with a chain of crashes on the way down. At the bottom of the stairs the boy painfully but swiftly regains himself, but is almost immediately flown of his feet. It turns out that one of Jim's feet have been tangled into a rope that goes to the sails. Just at that moment the wind have taken up speed and made the sails quickly shift quite much. In the process it have sent Jim flying to new heights among the white cloths.

As Delbert squints up at the teen, who currently hangs by his foot upside-down a good way up into the air and swings quite widely from side to side, the doctor can see that the boy is both shocked and terrified.

"Oh, dear…," is the only thing Dr. Doppler finds himself able to say. This have not gone according to plan. Not at all. And Delbert guesses that Jim's day haven't gone according to plan either.

"What happened here?" asks a voice at Delbert's side, and the doctor turns to see it be Silver. The cook stares bewildered at the teen high above as he strains to bend his neck enough, with one hand shadowing his eyes and the other at his hat to stop it from falling off.

"W-w-well," Dr. Doppler stutters, his hands seems to find life of their own as they clasps and wriggles around each other in nervosity over what he have caused. "I kind of s-s-scared Jim, and he tumbled down, a-a-and… heh… well..."

He isn't able to get out more as his cheeks turns red and his eyes goes down to his feet. He sees his feet is obscured in darkness and it is at this point that he remembers that he is still standing in the barrel.

"Well, what?" he asks as he turns to Delbert. "Are you going to do anything to get him down?" Silver's hands goes to his hips and his face contracts into a scowl. He is certainly isn't amused by this whole ordeal, and neither is Delbert.

The doctor shrinks down in the shadow that the hulking figure gives off. Delbert feels just like a child that gets scolded, even though he have for a long time that he is too old to be lectured. Despite that he isn't able to make another sound by fear and can't help to feel the already present guilt to grow even further. Silver can get really scary when he wants to, and this is one such moment.

"I could have figured," the cook states in Delbert's silence before he goes down the stairs to the deck below. He then turns his face up to the teen above him. "Jimbo, how are you doing up there?"

While the doctor struggles to get out of the barrel he notes that a reply never comes. As Delbert closes in to the railing on the observation deck to silently and shamefully watch on the scene in front of him he can't figure out how to apology to the boy. Jim have just begun to try to get his fear of heights in control, and now Delbert might have done the whole ordeal worse. So he keeps distance when the teen is wired down with the help of a crewmember and is helped on his feet by John.

* * *

Day 28, 18:57 o'clock

Delbert haven't been able to face Jim since the scare, but the doctor feels like he really should do it now or to ever avoid the teen in the future. Dr. Delbert must say sorry and that he didn't mean to scare the teen, but to scare the captain. The only problem is that Delbert doesn't know how in a good way do it. So it is with uncertain and unsure steps Delbert makes his way down the stairs of the galley. He finds Jim there, doing the mountain of dishes that are left from the crew after dinner. Jim hears him coming, takes a pause from the dishes and turns to face him.

"Hello, Jim," Dr. Doppler greets with a trying smile. He is pretty sure it isn't as warm as he tries to make it, and the sullen and harsh look from Jim only proves it. Delbert stops smiling. There is a short pause, where Delbert isn't certain on what to do or what to say as Jim keeps staring.

"Listen, Jim," Delbert says finally and cleans his throat. He suddenly feels older than he really is. "I didn't mean to scare you, and I didn't intent to make your fear any worse. For anything in the world." Delbert takes a small pause here to see if Jim wants to say something, but the teen keeps on staring with an occasional blinks. His jaw clenches, and the boys features hardens even more. He doesn't say a word, so in the silence of him Delbert swallows and goes on. "I was planning to scare captain Amelia, honest. When you walked by I thought that you were Amelia."

There is still not a sound coming from the teen, and the glare is unbroken. The seconds ticks by as Jim doesn't break this, but the he does. "Just don't do it again," he speaks thru clenched teeth, almost demands. If the teen have truly forgiven Delbert is uncertain, but the doctor bets that the boy will take a long time in forgetting it. If he forgets it at all, so to speak. How the doctor are to present this small problem to the teen's mother when this is all over can show to be problematic. He doesn't look forward to it at all, and wonders if he should try to avoid to tell her until she gets to know it from some other source.

_Pranks have never been my strong side._ The doctor decides that he probably wouldn't try it out again, both after seeing the catastrophic consequences to his relationship to Jim and the potential future worsening of the relationship to the mother. Not to speak of the nagging guilt he feels that it all have ended this way.

After all, pranks are just silly.

* * *

**Hello, everyone out there. I hope you are feeling good. This here will be the one of the longest, if not THE longest, notes I have written, but I feel that these are things that are important to bring up.**

**It is now pretty much a month since the start off the travel to treasure planet, and that is, in my mind, the minimum amount of time that the crew on RLS Legacy needs to get to their final destination. It is more realistic still if it are a month and a half, or even two month. That, though, are now a matter of how many ideas of pranks and other things to fill the remaining days and chapters. So, in short, the end is now closer than the beginning... if not for these two subjects that I are to bring up.**

**One.**  
**I have gotten many good ideas from you, the readers, for the chapters I have written. The different requests that you have sent in and both different run-ups and consequences for these said requests that I have fathomed to takes place within the story that I have gotten just by reading these requests have helped me move the story forward. I'm immensely grateful for that, and I have you know that much of what I have written in this story wouldn't have come to be without all of you. A big thanks to all of you is really in order.**

**However, with the thought that it will be a month or less within the story to go in mind, if any of you have any more ideas it is a good thing to get them sorted out and send them in. There is no hurry yet, but I want to take it already now to give a chance for those who wants to send something but haven't come up with something yet. If you don't think it is good, send it in anyway. I might think it is brilliant, and who knows, it might inspire to something really awesome.**

**Two.**  
**I have thought of this for a while, but I am uncertain if I should really do it. So I let you all decide for me. It is if I should or shouldn't write about everything that happens from the beginning of the supernova to the party in Benbow Inn that happens in the later half of the movie. To put my own words to the events, to the character's thoughts and their reasoning, of that half of the movie as the last chapters of this story.**


	19. Day 29: Jim Hawkins, Misfortunate Mix-up

**Okay, before the chapter begins I like to issue a word of caution. This chapter includes alcohol. Alcohol can be the cause of deaths, be careful with it. You should never drink to much of it, it is never pleasent to be drunk. And don't you dare drink it if you are underage! That's just bad.**

* * *

Day 29, 10:01 o'clock

He gave gotten a rest from them when he have been in the brig, a welcoming pause in Jim's mind, but now it is a begrudged teen that hangs amongst the white sails. Amelia have let him out of there all thanks of Mr. Arrow, who thinks that the last days locked in the brig should be enough of a warning for the young teen to not do any pranks on the captain again. But to come back to this stupid treatment is not the only reason that the teen is extra sullen now when he hangs securely from the rope. There is a strange thing to get in trouble a soon as you get out of brig, especially when it comes from a completely unthinkable and unsuspected way as Dr. Doppler.

And for that trouble to play out on the big fright that the teen have at the moment are nothing else than regrettable. So there is no-one who blames Jim to be sullen even the day after the big mishap, not even Delbert. The boy's progress on getting rid of the fright is surely halted, and might even be backtracked a bit, as this day's flight up the mast is not as smooth as usual. Or as smooth as it can be when Jim is at his usual mood in the light of his daily unwanted adventures among the sails.

The teen looks down the height that he is currently at. He is not at the same height at before, after when they have raised him even higher than from the beginning. It is of even a far lesser height than from his first time up here. But is it a relief or something to be ashamed of? Jim isn't entirely sure. _It feels good not to be at such a swindling height as before, but to know that I could handle worse before? And can't now at a wimp's notice? I would laugh at it if it wasn't me myself I'm describing._

He breaths heavily, and he feels the need to look away. For a moment, thought, before his courage leaves him, he refuses. He glances around on the top deck, at the faces of people that stands there. There isn't as many people gathered down below as the times before, which is a reliving thought for Jim. _This isn't some kind of freak show, now is it?_

But there is one face that are absent, someone that have been there every time he have been hoisted up in the air. Dr. Doppler is absent. His voice haven't been heard to tell the teen to keep his chin up or to keep at it, as the doctor usually would. A bit odd, Jim have thought for a start. But then the teen figures that the doctor feels shame over what he have done. _Rightly so._

Silver, though, is there. Not that it helps that much of knowing it in the sense of the fear that the teen feels in the bottom of is stomach, but it is good to know that he is there. The cook did start this whole mess with the teen's fear, and Silver should see how this turns out. _That pain on two legs._ But even though that Jim feels irritation and anger over seeing the cook and to remember the blame that the cook bears, the teen feels just a teeny tiny comfort of having him here. As a friend.

* * *

Day 29, 12:28 o'clock

The food is a welcoming sight, or it would be if it is any food to speak of at the usual lunch time. The lunch to the crew have been delayed somewhat over a certain discovery one crewmate have made in the pantry, in the form of a barrel full of rum of high alcohol percentage. The news have traveled fast to the rest of the garrison and it haven't been much of a moment until that barrel have been rolled out for everyone's convenience at the top deck and is opened without delay. Silver have stepped in at the last moment before the first trunk been filled and ordered the barrel to be resealed.

"This is to be opened and drunk first when we have Flint's trove and the treasure planet within our grasp as a feast," the cook scolds the crew. "Not a second before."

There is a long babbling over why and why not it should wait until then, and it takes long before the cook is able to convince that the rum, however tempting it might be now, should be laid undisturbed until their destination is reached. To disperse the crowd that have gathered around the barrel at the top deck after that conviction takes even longer.

To reseal the barrel is another story. It takes much job and much time to put the lid back on and make it tight, so that none of the rum leaks out. So to not make the lunch even further delayed Silver decides to wait with it, and have it moved down in the galley without any lid. That way he can work on the food with the alcohol under surveillance.

The food is made and is served, the crew comes, eats and leaves, and finally it is Jim's and Silver's turn to get something into their growling stomachs. The barrel is still open and the rum still bare to be seen by everyone when Silver looks at the rests of the lunch from the crew. Much of the rests is often reserved for the two of them, if there is any. Otherwise the cook would quickly throw something together.

"There is plenty of stew for us both, Jimbo," Silver confirms and serves two steaming hot bowls of stew for them on the table. "About a ration to each of us. It is only to dig in."

Jim takes a seat at the table and gratefully takes one of the bowls. He begins to slurp it down hungrily before he even think of that it might be a little too hot yet to pass his mouth. After three spoonsful he decides that he might just wait a moment when he feel that the outer layer of the skin on his palate might fall of later that day. As the teen looks up from his bowl he sees that the cook is about to leave the galley.

"Where are you going?" Jim wonders. "Aren't you going to eat?"

"I'm only to go and fetch something," Silver insures and leaves by the side door. "I will be back before you know it. Keep eating."

And so he does, after he deems the stew cool enough to be eaten. He takes a few more spoonsful and eagerly swallows it down. Today he is more hungry than usual. But when his bowl is half empty he looks up again to see if Silver have come back. The older man have not, and for a moment the teen wonders what the cook are to bring. _His food are to get to cold in this rate._ The teen looks over at Silver's bowl to see if it is still steam coming out of it, and he is right that the steam have stopped.

Right there, though, the teen halts. He stares at the bowl on the opposite side of the table in deep thought, then he turns to look at the barrel with rum. A smug smile spreads in the teen's face, as a prank takes from in his mind. Why not take some of that rum, put it in Silver's bowl of stew and then see if the cook will go drunk when he eats it? _It would be a good show to go with the food._

The teen is thankful that Morph isn't in the galley at the moment. He doesn't know really where the pink blob is, as it can transport to anything roughly his size. He at least hopes that it isn't in here, at least. Jim springs to action within the second. He takes a tankard and fills it more than halfway with the rum, brings it to the cook's bowl and pours it in Silver's lunch.

He carefully blend the cocktail with a spoon that he later puts immediately in the sink together with the tankard. No need to leave the evidence in the open, right? He just have time to take a seat back at the table before the cook comes back in. And right alongside him is Morph. Jim feels himself breath out to know that they both are oblivious about the teen's prank.

"To bad I didn't put in a hammer in my arm," Silver complains disconcerted mostly to himself and signs with a swift move towards a hammer he have in his organic hand and his mechanical arm. "Could be real useful I realize now years after I have gotten the damn thing." The cook walks up to the table and takes a seat while he puts the hammer down by the side of his bowl.

"Well, look at that," Jim smiles in triumph, as he feels that a real discovery have been made. "Here I thought that you had one of everything in there."

"I wish," the cook says. "I may have a blowtorch, a cleaver, these three spindly things that I admit I don't really know the name for." He halts himself for just a moment to bring forth the three thin hand-things with three small fingers each, that the teen have seen the cook use for things like cracking three eggs at once, to clarify what he means before bringing back his mechanical hand. "I have even a corkscrew in there somewhere. But _noooo_, a hammer did never cross my mind when this thing was first assembled."

"Uh-huh," the teen scoffs amused and scoops down another spoon of the stew. "Figures." He then wonders what the cook would bring a hammer for in the first place and asks about it.

"It is to put the lid back on the barrel," Silver simply answers while he gives a quick nod over to the rum. Jim gives a confirming sound, the answer obvious now when he knows it.

The teen is then about to take another spoon of the stew, but stops himself when he have the silverware at his face. The reason for this is that he now observes Silver as the cook is about to take a spoonful of his own bowl of food. Jim feels himself go giggly over seeing John drunk or mildly affected, and comes to think of first now that Silver might be a used drinker that might not easily gets influenced by half a tankard of rum.

He have learned this from some of the guests at his mother's inn that have quite some love to beer. They could gulp down tankard after tankard without any different to their behavior. He have wanted to try it out himself, but Sarah, his mother have refused. He would only get drunk after two big sips according to her. He have never tried any alcohol when he comes to think of it, and wonders how it tastes like.

With these thoughts put aside the second after, Jim strains himself not to show his humored mood or to slip any giggles. But just before John are to take his first taste of it he seems to notice something. "For all the blazing stars," the older man grumbles, as he drops the spoon back into the bowl and brings his organic hand down over the stew to feel if there is any heat that radiates from it. "Have it gone cold already?"

Jim frowns, as he wonders if the rum might have cooled the food enough for it to be too cold. It have stopped steaming before he put the rum in, so it is possible. _So close. It is SO close._ "Strange," he comments, as he plays oblivious. "Maybe it is for the best to heat it up, then."

"How is yours?"

The innocent question that comes Jim's way makes the teen to rigid up just a tiny bit. _How am I to answer that one?_ The cabin boy hopes that Silver doesn't notice how he grows a bit stiff, or doesn't mind if he do notice. He looks down to his own bowl and sees that most of his food is already eaten. Only about half of it is left. "Nah, I'm good," he answers. "I'm soon finished anyway, no need to heat it back up." In truth, the food that Jim still have left is a bit over medium warm, and that is about the heat that the teen prefers. _But there is no need for him to know that._

"If you say so," the cook lets it pass, without any signs of suspecting anything. Silver changes his mechanical hand for his blowtorch, skillfully balances the bowl on it while the flame is on and heats the stew up to the right, steaming temperature that way. The cook then changes back to his mechanical hand for a second time today, all the while he puts the bowl down with his organic one and prepares himself for his first taste by taking hold of his spoon and scooping up the first spoon load.

It is first now that Jim remembers that he have his spoon still by his mouth, with some of the stew still in it. He goes on to eat, but observes the cook all the same. Silver brings the spoon with the stew to his face and are to put it in his mouth. But right as he should they are disrupted.

"Silver," comes a voice from the stairs to the galley. It turns out to be Mr. Arrow.

"Yes, Mr. Arrow, sir," answer the cook and simultaneously puts the spoon back down.

"We need you and Mr. Hawkins up on the top deck. One of the sails have raptured, and we need all hands available to help repair it."

"Understood, Mr. Arrow, sir," Silver raises to his feet and leaves the bowl at the table. "We are both coming at once, Mr. Arrow, sir."

The second-in-command disappears up the stairs. The cook is fast to follow, but not before he have called Morph over and asks the pink blob to guard the still open barrel with rum against any thirsty crewmen that might come into the galley with the wish to have the smallest drop of the drink. Jim sights as he gives the cook's bowl a last glance where it is left on the table that Silver couldn't get the chance to eat up, but guesses that the older man will sooner or later. The teen then leaves the galley to help with the broken sail.

* * *

Day 29, 19:26 o'clock

The day stretches on, and most of it is taken up by the repairs of the sail. The rapture have turned out to be harder to repair than they first have thought. But when dinner approaches Silver is ordered to go back down the galley to get the food ready for the crew. Jim have been ordered to stay to further help out with the sail. The sail have in the end been successfully repaired and hoisted back up into position, and the crew have eaten their dinner afterwards as well.

Jim and Silver is back at the table in the galley, with each a bowl with some of the stew that is left from lunch. It is reheated and is quickly eaten by the cook and his cabin boy. Jim, though, finds after the first spoon that the stew have a bit different taste to it. A bit more bitter than he remembers. Actually a whole lot bitter, he decides when he have taken a second spoon of it. But he dismiss it, as he suspects that the stew might get a bit bitter if it gets to wait a whole day to be eaten, thinks nothing of it and eats everything in the bowl. Especially when he sees Silver eat up everything in his bowl as well, and smiles at the thought of seeing the cook get a bit drunk.

It is some time after dinner, though, that Jim notices something strange. He starts to feel different, like some kind of fussiness all over. There is at first a muffled headache in his head, but that disappears after a while. And he feels strangely happy, and free. So immensely free and without any single problem. That was the strangest thing of it all, the feeling of being free. It was all so perfect. There is a moment of nothingness after that, as if he have lost memory for a moment. Then he remembers Silver speaking to him. Or is it really him? _It sounds a bit like Silver. But he looks so funny. And he sounds so funny, too. What's wrong with him? Is he sick?_

Yeah, it is Silver, alright, he decides then. _No-one can scream like that other than him._ After that thought he isn't able to remember anything at all. There is just blackness, and the remaining two feelings that are just too pleasant to be true.

Of fearlessly flying, and being completely free.

* * *

**Credit goes to two guests, the first one that mentioned that Jim should get drunk and the other that said that Jim should try to make Silver drunk but for it to completely backfire and make the teen himself drunk.**


	20. Day 29: John Silver, a Drunk Afternoon

Day 29, 19:49 o'clock

Silver have reheated the stew that they would have had at lunchtime, and he have divided what was left fairly between them. They eats of it in relative silence by the table in the galley. John notices that it tastes a little different from before, but doesn't pay much mind to it. After they are done with the dinner he chuckles to find Jim dozy, and by the time the dishes is done the teen is asleep by the table. But it is to be expected after some hard work with a broken sail on an empty stomach. But it is when Jim wakes up again that some real strange things happens. Jim's behavior gets odd, he begins to speak sluggish and his balance suddenly seems impaired. It's almost like he is…

"Drunk?" Silver gawks at the sight before him. "Are you drunk, lad?"

"I… I don't know," Jim slurs. "How does it work?"

"Heck, how would you get drunk?" the cook wonders aloud and scratches his neck as he looks to his side. His eyes lands to the barrel with the rum that he finally have closed before they have sat down to eat the much deserved long too late lunch, and a light goes up for him when he makes the connection to the strange aftertaste to the stew. Somehow, sometime, Jim have put some of the rum in the stew.

Who to say if it wasn't at lunch, when Silver have been off to get the hammer, that Jim have put rum in the cook's bowl. _It have grown cold pretty quick. Far too quick than normal._ Then, when the two of them are to eat dinner, Silver have shared what have been left in his bowl ant whatever small drop that have been left in the pot.

"You fffffunny looking, you!" Jim babbles with a drunken happiness in his voice and demeanor, and even goes so far as to lean himself against the cook with a body that could easily be made up by jelly. "You sure you isn… aren?… sick?"

Silver feels how his anger grows strong. It was rum in there. Jimbo put some of the rum in the stew. And it isn't hard for John to understand that Jim doesn't have any history in the art of drinking booze, neither is the teen's small size much to put against the effect. That this particular rum have a high percentage in this whole matter only adds to the negatives. So, all in all, the boy could get sky high drunk by only one really big sip, and Silver have the feeling that Jim put in more than one sip.

"GET YOUSELF TOGETHER!" the cook roars at the mess that is currently his cabin boy, and shakes the teen in a try to get some sense in him.

"And let it be forever…," rhymes Jim, happy and without any sorrow or problem to speak of.

The cook sights, as he deems the teen a lost cause to put any sense back into today. He strains to get his anger back in control, but it goes not that good. He breaths deeply, and successfully force some anger out with every breath out until he is calm enough to speak in normal volume for conversation. When he does, thought, he gets something on his mind that he finds this situation just perfect for, even how bad a drunk teen can be.

There is a question that have nagged Silver for some time now, and he have meant to bring it up. He don't know when or how, and he are quite certain that however he might present it he are sure not to get an answer. But now? When the teen is drunk like the worse skunk possible? Maybe the cook can wriggle an answer out somehow, and with some luck the rum will prevent the teen from remembering anything.

"Jimbo, try to concentrate for a moment, lad," Silver begins as he prop the teen up in a standing position as good as he is able. "I have something that I want to ask."

"As long as the room won't spin too fast," comes the incomprehensible answer.

"Yeah, yeah, of course, Jimbo," the cook ensures while he pats the teen's back reassuringly, and gives a worried glance when the boy shows signs to get suddenly tired. "Lad, tell me, remember when you put glue in the captain's hat?"

"Wha…?" Jim fights thru the groggy fog and tries to repeat the last words that Silver just have said. "Lue in the a'pain at?"

"Lue in the a'pain at?" mumbles Silver quietly to himself, a bit confused how Jim have gotten that from 'glue in the captain's hat'. The cook then shakes the confusion of and repeats the phrase more clearly.

"Oh, what about it?" wonders the boy.

"Why did you take the blame?" John inquires.

Jim grows quiet, and a sad expression comes over him. Before Silver knows it the teen shoves himself of the cook and tries to stand on his own shaking legs. "He *hick*… he isn't worth our time… that egghead. Quitter."

"Huh?" Silver is completely lost. "Who are you talking about?"

"A nobody, that's who." On shaking legs Jim takes a few short steps away.

"Jimbo, who are you talking about? Who is this nobody?"

"No-one. I'm fine without him."

Now the cook is really confused, but very interested all the same. That the boy have turned sad about the subject are only to show that it is something that affects him greatly. And it won't do to just leave it here.

"Jim Hawins, WHO are you talking about?" Silver demands and with determent steps follows the teen the short distance that the boy have moved.

"No! Noooooo… You're not my father," the teen murmur and turns around to face the cook. "But I bet you wish to be. So-o… sooooo… why not? Hmmm? Why aren… aren… **aren'T**… you my dad? We both know that anyone can do a better job than the last one." Silver twitch back at the brutally honest and very sad statement, as if he have gotten electricity thru his body. The shock renders him speechless as he stares worryingly at the teen. The last of his earlier anger disappears, leaving good much space for the worry. Not that the cook gets the chance to answer right away, as Jim continues with his drunken speech.

"Even… e-even that clumsy Delbert, the human dog, is better…," Jim states and brings up a hand to point with his thumb at stairs, and immediately feels how the room begins to sway more. "He who got me up, but everything was… was-s down… So why not you, hm? Why aren… you my dad?"

Silver don't know what to say. What can he say to that? He knows very well about what Jim's dad have done, the teen have told him the same day they sat sail. But this turnout in Jim's feelings, on how the boy might see Silver as his new father figure and how low the teen thinks of his real dad.

Jim stands there, as he sways slightly with unfocused eyes on the cook. Silver observes him silently, uncertain. The quiet stretches out for a moment, which turns into several. They stay that way until Silver remembers that there is work to do and clears his throat.

"Hey, listen, Jimbo. I have things to do. And I guess it is best for you to go ahead and go to bed for the day."

The teen's gaze goes down to the floor, not moving from where he stands. He do look a bit sleepy, but it is a bit hard to know with a drunk. Silver waits for a moment to see if the teen will speak, or if the teen are to take action and go by himself towards the hammocks. If Jim would go to the hammocks John guesses that he could go along to see the teen safely there.

"C-c-can I stay here for a bit?" Jim asks, as he finally breaks his silent and rises his face to let his eyes meet with the cook's.

Silver guess he can let the teen do that. It is obvious that Jim would go to sleep by the table. The cook can let him sleep here at the galley for some time to keep an eye on him while he works, and then take him to the hammocks when everything is done. Right now it only feels bad to leave the boy alone.

* * *

Day 29, 20:31 o'clock

Silver have walked out on the top deck for a while to take care of some things, and left the teen down in the galley. Jim have slept for a while, then he have gone active for a few minutes before the cook have gone up the stairs. John is not planning to leave Jim alone for long, it would all be really quick until he would be back and finally lead his cabin boy to the hammocks. Or so is the plan.

"Shcroop!"

The happy squeal with a light lisp is heard by everyone present at the top deck, including the big spider that have up to this point only minded his own business, and everyone's heads turns towards the drunken teen that stumbles up the stairs from the galley. As Jim notices that he have Scroop's attention he straightens as much as his failing balance allows, which isn't much, and points at the spider with a wide grin, that is far too friendly for his own good. "You… are queer. VERY queer."

The cabin boy starts towards Scroop, who stays where he stands and silently observes the boy with increasingly puzzlement. With much weariness, of course, as the spider and everyone else notices that there is something odd with Jim. "You know *hick*… why you're so queer? You're lonely, that's what." It is now that the teen brings up his arms and signs with his hands that he wants to wrap them around Scroop's stomach, as he still walks closer and closer to the older crewman. "Come here, big guy. You big, bright-eyed goof. Give me a hug. *Hick* You are not alone, because I'm here to make it allll better."

The spider's reaction to this is to take several steps back and hiss at the scene in front of him. He even hiss more when he hears the snickers and smaller laughs from the other crewmembers around him, and goes ahead to give them all an evil eye. He reserves the biggest evil eye for the teen, though, and keeps backing away from the oncoming hug. Luckily Silver is quick enough to intercept with Jim by taking a strong hold of the boy's one arm. It's a good thing, too, as Scroop gets a look about him that only tells that he is ready to beat the teen to death at any given moment at that instant.

"You don't need to say anything, Scroop," Silver simply excuses to the spider, and starts to drag the teen back to the stairs. "I already know that the damn pup is an idiot."

"May I inquire why the boy ssseemsss drunk?" questions Scroop with eyes that only thins more in suspicion at Jim's state, a query that makes Silver stop in his track.

"No," the cook answers plainly.

"Then may I make the sssimple connection that the boy have tasssted the rum?" The tone is dangerously low, a threat of a man that is of the mind that some minor injustice have occurred. A notion that Silver picks up on immediately. _Why have a cabin boy been allowed to taste the rum when the whole crew have been denied?_ Several of the other present crewmen voices their assent, they, too, wondering if they are to make that very connection. An unvoiced question that the whole lot of them seems to ask the cook.

The cook meets the spider's glare and gives a small snarl in irritation, he with the opinion that the day have had enough trouble than to have a dissatisfied Scroop to add to it all. _Oh, why, indeed._ "No," John repeats with stiff anger, as he feels that he does not have the patience, nor the will, to give any explanations right now.

"Am I to believe that the boy isssn't drunk?" insist the spider, as he refuses to back down on the matter. Silver knows what the underlying case is; Scroop is challenging him, questions his competence. Right there, in front of the others. Even if not all of the crew is there to see it words can spread quickly of how the cook steps down from the spider.

_Easy, Silver. Go easy. _Silver spends a long, stern glance over the other crewmen, on the questioning eyes that observes the two giants with close interest. _You don't want to tip this over the wrong side._ As his sight passes the observation deck he sees that the captain is absent. The cook finds it as a sign of luck, and thinks that he can speak freely for only once out here on the top deck if he keeps his voice down, until he sees Mr. Arrow make his descent to intercept the trouble from the very same deck that Silver just have looked at.

"Don't you forget who's running this show," he growls low after he turns back to Silver, quiet enough for the approaching Mr. Arrow not to hear. "Or you will find it very unpleasant for you." Only the second after Mr. Arrow is upon them, and the crowd is broken up.

When the cook tries to take with him the teen back towards the stairs to the galley he gets a somewhat unwanted surprise when Jim tears himself away and tries to jump Scroop. But before most of the crew on the deck noticed something, most importantly the spider in question, Silver is able to take hold of Jim's collar and stop him before the teen ever gets close to the crewmember.

"Jimbo, don't you ever try to hug Scroop again. And of every foolish things you can do, never jump him," scolds Silver as he drags the teen with him towards the stairs. If John wishes to teach the boy something, to have to hammer ANYTHING through that big skull, it is to never, EVER, during any circumstances, try to hug or jump Scroop. You might end up losing your arms.

"Don… you worry. I *hick*… I'm not scared of Scroop," ensures Jim, or whatever that can get passed as insurance from someone who is drunk.

"You ought to be," continues the cook, rambling on with his thoughts as they nears the stairs. "With your proneness of causing trouble it would do you good to fear him. It might be the only way to keep you away from him. To actually make you scared of Scroop. Like as much as this thing with heights."

Without any warning Jim suddenly begin to fight Silver's hold and successfully wriggles out of it.

"I don… **don'****T**… want to be scared of heights anymore," Jim states with both irritation and assurance. "I WILL NOT be scared anymore. I REFUSE to. Here, I show you." Thereafter the teen, surprisingly swift for being drunk, gets ahead to the nearest gunwale and climbs up on it, thereafter straightens up on top of it on wobbly legs. Silver looks on in horror when the teen balances on the top of a rounded railing that is barely about five centimeters wide.

"GET DOWN FROM THERE!" the cook roars in anger and dives forward in fear of his cabin boy to fall down in the abyss below, his already strained patience dangerously thin. Silver gets a hold of Jim's one arm and yanks him down to the safety of the deck, and almost tugs the limb out of its socket in the process. Thereafter the older man wastes no time to get the boy down the stairs to the galley, where he can keep an eye on his cabin boy. _I think though that the hammock is the best way for Jimbo right now._

* * *

Day 29,21:17 o'clock

"You know," Jim says and takes a seat in his hammock. Or rather more lands, as he in the start loses his balance and just happens to fall towards the hammock. "You really need to know that *hick*… that you are not as grand as you think you are."

Silver only stares at the teen as if he stares at an idiot. In a way he does stare at an idiot, as what the cook have learned today is that Jim really turns into a barking mad lunatic when on the sauce. Bigger than usual, that is. "Strange," Silver finally speaks, as he decides to try to humor the teen and to keep him occupied until the sleep kicks in. "I can't remember me saying that I'm grand."

"Between the lines, Schilver," Jim waves casually at the older man. "You have to read between the lines. You are not that good as you think you are. You take tings way too seriously. WAY too seriously. Like *hick*… like that with the oil. Pffh… pffheheheehehehe… that was funny…" The teen's face breaks into a wide smile, without any trace of concern.

"Yeah," sights the cook unamused, not happy to remember when he crashed into the captain that one time when the teen thought it funny to have Silver's mechanical parts oiled up extra much in the cook's sleep. "Hilarious."

Jim's happy, carefree face gets a content look to it as he hears that the older man concurs, not really noticing that Silver is only agreeing to him due to his drunken state. But then it slowly turns sad, as he remembers something else. "And you know what else?" comes from the drunk mess of a boy. "You seriously need to *hick*… control your temperament. One slip, and I might have been *hick*… spaced."

That only earns the teen a glare, as the cook remembers very well what happened next after the oil incident: that Silver holds Jim over the gunwale. A memory that neither is fond of. "And you need to learn how to pick a fight, whelp," is Johns response.

As the teens quickly goes to a drunken sleep the cook goes off to have a deadly serious talk to Scroop in the galley, with all the crew assembled to bear witness.

Good thing the teen won't remember much of the afternoon.

* * *

**Credits goes to all these latest guest reviews. And remember, drinking is bad. I have no idea, though, if I have nailed how a drunk is, nor how Jim is when drunk.**


	21. Day 30: Jim Hawkins, Persistent Spider

Day 30, 11:27 o'clock

There is only a few times that Jim remembers that he have been with a headache before, and that have been due to sickness. So it is a normal reaction for him to believe that he have turned sick today with such a splitting headache that his skull might as well be in the process of be cut in two. He feels absolutely wretched from his first conscious moment and just wants to go back to sleep again. _I must be very sick, how did I get like this?_

But then there is that moment when he couldn't for the life of him remember the afternoon the day before. There is absolutely nothing that comes up in his mind, even though he tries with everything he have thru the headache. The only thing he remembers is that he thought Silver looks funny and wondered if the cook is sick, nothing more. So it is with a puzzled and confused air about him when he comes to the galley for breakfast, which sometimes is interrupted by pain from his headache.

"Jimbo, do you remember anything that happened last night?" asks Silver when they are seated at the table.

"Only that you looked funny and that you screamed at me," the teen truthfully tells and scratches his head at the few and fuzzy memories. He didn't want to tell about the feelings of being flying and being free in fear of it meaning that he have done something utterly strange. "I must have been pretty much out of it, I think."

He prays that he have only fallen asleep or something, and not gone and balanced on the sails or something. _That's heck of a story to tell the kids if I ever gets any._ He fantasies only for a second to be older, with a child in his lap, and speak about that he could balance on a sail while drunk and have actually done it, even if he doesn't remember it himself.

It is clear to him now afterwards, that somehow he must have gotten some of the stew with the rum in it, which have been meant for the cook. _Silver must have split what was left between the two of us._ The boy is a bit angry of himself to have finished the whole bowl, even with the bizarre, bitter taste, to not suspect that the stew have had rum in it. But it is always to be wise now afterwards. He gets the feeling, though, that something more happened than just him falling asleep in the tone if Silver's tone, and he can bet it have nothing to do with balancing on the sails.

"You should have seen yourself," the cook comments, seriousness in his face but a hint of humor in his voice. "You tried to hug Scroop, for a penny's worth. For even less, I assure." Jim stares at Silver, bewildered. He didn't want to believe it. "Don't even ask what you tried to do behind his back," goes the older man on.

That only creates an even bigger clump in Jim's throat. His eyes are nearly popping out of his eye sockets, and the breakfast doesn't look pleasing as it did before. "What did I do?" the cabin boy decides to ask after a short pause, despite of what Silver have said.

"First of all, you tried to jump Scroop behind his back. Thereafter you wanted to show that you were not scared of neither Scroop nor heights, and by proving it you jumped up on the gunwale. I didn't really knew what your plan was, and I doubt you did, too. I guess that you were to jump of the ship."

"What?" The fear from the teen is unmistakable.

"Yeah, I'm not lying. I saved you sorry ass from both Scroop and the gunwale, by the way, so a big thank you are in order." Silver halts here and looks expectantly on Jim, who only sullen in the sight of this.

The teen first now realizes that he have been completely right before; he have done something utterly strange, and it is probably why he remembers to be flying and free. And it have DEFENTLY not have been strolling on the sails, while the danger of what he actually have done must have been thousands of times worse. And that Silver have saved him from that definite danger only makes everything as humiliating as it is dangerous. Thanks is the least Jim wants to say to the cook right now. _But he did go thru the trouble of it. I WAS drunk, for crying out loud._

"Thanks," the teen mumbles reluctantly, as he understands that without the cook Jim would be done for.

"Oh, come on," Silver coax on, now in possession of a very good smile to put on his lips. It is not every day he gets a thanks, and never thought that Jim of all people would do so. So he wants a big, appropriate thanks. "I said a big thanks. That squeak of a sound you made was nothing."

The boy only gets even more sullen, as he just wants the list of what he have done the day before to go on rather than to sit and thank the main 'enemy' himself in this 'prank war'. The teen then sights and gives in. "Thanks, oh thou gracious one. Happy?"

As the cook gives Jim a sideways glance with something humorous gleam in his eye. "Not really, no," Silver states with an amused tone and a good humor in his smile.

"Figures," the teen huffs.

Silver gives an amused chuckle. But then the smile freezes and slowly fades, its happy sound gone. His eyes meets with Jim's, and it the teen can't shake the feeling that the cook really sees him now. That the older man really looks at him, in another light. A light that Jim only can wonder where it could have come from if not for what Silver is to say next.

"You mentioned your dad."

A sharp intake of breath escapes Jim. _What could I possibly have said? I was drunk, I could have said anything._ Silver is the enemy, an irritation, a thorn in the teen's side, even though the teen reluctantly must say that Silver is like a man to look up to. Jim's pride don't want to hear what Silver are going to say, what the teen suspects he is to tell if the boy's suspicions are right, but there is something deep within that does want to know. Is it hope? That Silver understands the teen's feelings? That the older man accepts them? Even so, despite Jim's troubled thoughts, he lets Silver continue.

"You asked me if I could be your dad," the cook lets the teen know. "And that anyone could be a better dad than the last one."

Jim stares at the cook in shock. He knows that he was drunk, but it is first now he understands how far gone he must have been to speak about that subject. _And I don't even remember it?_ Jim feels how an embarrassed heat spreads on his cheeks, ears and neck. They must have turned bright red fast, as Silver gives a sympathetic smile. Jim's heart contracts over the overwhelming feelings he experiences, emotions that he doesn't really want to feel. Not here, not now, not ever.

The teen tries to say something; an apology or an excuse or something, ANYTHING, but the only thing that comes out from his now open mouth is silence. That only serves to make him even redder in his face. He have not wanted to let this secret out, he didn't even want to acknowledge it even, but here it is, flat out in the open on the table. Bare for the person who Jim wants the least to know.

"I know that it was embarrassing," Silver keeps smiling, his grin turns humorous once again, as the cook are to tease the boy. "And I was really considering not to tell you anything, but I figured I should do it in case someone would ask you about it." The cook pauses for a second to give it a thought, then he shrugs. "It was also that matter with your father."

There is no change to Jim; he is too shocked to give an appropriate answer, like in the form of a glare or a tease back like he normally would in any other situation. Neither can he fully comprehend that he have been spoken to at all. The fact that he, in his drunken state yesterday, have asked if Silver, the worst irritation of them all, could be his dad have jammed his brain temporarily. Or is it really a fact? _Surely Silver said it to embarrass me real bad? To give back for trying to make him drunk?_

Yes, he decides. Silver just wants to get under his skin, to let the teen go around embarrassed and guilt-ridden for the rest of the trip. _It must be so!_ But even when Jim tries to ensure himself of this it barely is to any help. He have gotten embarrassed and guilt-ridden, because if he ever said and did what the cook says he have or not, it makes no different. Silver now knows the truth, that Jim do look to the cook as a father figure, and it is heart wrenching.

"It was a lovely chat, by the way," Silver continues the tease and finally is successful to drag Jim out of his daze. "It was really heartwarming."

The boy gives the most serious stare he can muster at the older man. "You as much as breathe this to anyone and you are dead," the cabin boy threatens, and this time he means it. It have barely no impact. It is only a cause for a heartily laugh from the older man.

"The whole crew knows about you nearly hugging Scroop," he wheezes between laughs.

"NOT THAT!" the teen roars in anger, and sends another laugh thru the cook. It's like watching a small mouse try to scare a lion. Then Jim spies at the stairs to see if someone is there to have heard his eruption. When he knows for sure that there is no one to listen he lowers his voice between clenched jaws, fearful for someone to hear. "That other part."

"Jimbo, lad, I don't think you're alone in wanting to jump that bandit spider," states John, still with chuckles that rings with every word.

Both the teen's glare and anger intensifies. "You can't be that dense. You know what I'm talking about." He knows that he is being played with, but that knowledge only makes it worth.

It takes a moment before the book is able to calm down from his fit of laughter, and only then can he speak as normal again. "Of course, lad," he promises. "Not a word to anyone."

Jim only wishes that he can forget that it all, and he will not tell anyone about his feelings to the cook to anyone. Oblivious to him, thought, Silver have his own reason to why he shouldn't speak about it, but it is not like he is to tell the boy. At least, not now.

* * *

Day 30, 14:13 o'clock

Of course Jim doesn't get his wish. He gets reminded of yesterday alright, but only now by the very spider that he have tried to jump and hug within the same five minutes. Scroop steps right into the teen's path in one of the many hallways inside the ship, his frame and limbs positioned to take up all space from wall to wall. Jim takes the hint, that he shouldn't go past the spider and certainly not force his way thru.

He have been thinking happy thoughts up until now, but those have immediately turned sour when the spider have stopped him. The teen can do nothing but stare angrily at the spider over what he have in his grasp, which is a big box of vegetables that Silver have told him to get.

"Busssy?" Scroop asks, with a tone that tells the teen Jim will have no impact on what's to come whatever the answer that he might give; the spider will not leave the cabin boy alone until the crewman gets what he the crewman probably want to know why Jim have been like he been yesterday. A discussion that surely are to get them both on the nerves. _So why not make it a bit interesting?_

"Too busy for you?" Jim faints sincerity. "Nah, I can never get enough of you. I'm stuck for you like a fly in a spider's web." The web-and-spider reference only makes the actual spider in front of the teen growl in annoyance. The teen only smiles at the reaction. _According to Silver I seemed to love this guy, and I can imagine that annoys the heck out of him. Why not drag out on that specific subject?_

"You were drunk yesssterday," Scroop growls as his eyes goes dangerously thin.

_Yep, there it is. The statement of the lifetime._ Jim silently praises Scroop's talent for the obvious and to be so predictable with a small roll of his eyes. "Yes, what of it?"

"Care to explain?"

The teen smiles his sweetest smile. He doesn't have energy nor will to play all innocent and careful with the bug; not that he ever have, but the hang up and Silver's revelation of the boy's forgotten fanatics have drained Jim of most of his patience. "You don't know?" he instead asks. "Then I guess I'm the one to tell you." From here on he takes the tone one takes to explain something to a child. "If you drink too much alcohol you get bonkers for a few hours. And if you drink much alcohol for a long time your brain slowly dies, and get bonkers forever. Like you."

Jim guesses that Scroop already have been on a murderous mood before Jim's little 'explanation', as the next thing the spider does is to get a very nasty look about himself and hisses dangerously. The teen gets the urgent feeling that this is a moment to start run for his life, and he is wise enough to comply with it.

The next moment Jim only is able to sees a black and red blur and have only a second to react. He instantly ducks, and let's go of the box with the vegetables in the process. They tumbles to the floor to cover the woodwork by their feet, but that is nothing of Jim's current worries. He have just escaped certain death as he realizes that what he have ducked for turns out to be one of Scroop's claws, that have been in the middle of giving a strong swing at the boy's head. Or rather where the head just have been.

The limb misses with just an inch and hits instead the wooden wall, where it temporarily sticks for just a moment. But just a moment is everything Jim needs to quickly crawl under Scroop and maneuver between the crewman's six legs. The teen doesn't need to look back to know that Scroop have dislodged his claw and turned around in time that Jim is able to take five strides.

"Come back here, you scrawny little thing!" Jim can hear from behind him as the teen can distinctly make out the spider's feet on the wooden floor. It is a quick rapping sound of six limbs that works in unison. He doesn't regret a thing, as Jim is convinced to get away with a tactic that he have used before. A tactic that he have used when last being chased. When he ran away on 'The green gem'.

In the scene to come Jim can truly feel proud over himself of his quickness and ability to dodge, but if you hear Silver's version of it the only reason the teen is alive is thru pure luck. Thru the whole length of the hallway Jim is able to outmaneuver Scroop's swings with the big, powerful claws that are deadly sharp. Every try have been a narrow escape, and the teen must say that at least a bit scared. But, of course, he isn't a stranger of lying about such a thing.

There have been one or two crewmen that Jim have successfully passed by thanks to his small size and quick instinct. The spider have crashed into those crewmen due to his hulking mass. Then there have also been one object here and there that Jim have been able to fling in Scroop's way, which the spider stumbles on.

In the end of the hallway the path turns, and when the teen takes the turn he is surprised to be greeted with a big, soft belly in the face. The teen bounces back and falls on his back, right by the feet of his pursuer. He is immediately hoisted up in the air by the back of his collar of an uncaring claw, and at a heart-stopping moment the boy realizes that he is caught by a pissed arachnid.

But as he is dangling in the air his face comes to the same level with the face of the person whose belly the teen have crashed into. He have an excellent view from where he hangs by the neck of his collar a highly surprised Silver, who quickly gets the most angry and stern of expressions. The mechanical eye turns red, and even Scroop freezes where he stands. Jim gives the cook a nervous smile, but refrains from giving a laugh that he is sure of only would come out weak and uncertain.

"What is this?" Silver asks with a bark and looks back and forth between the two faces in front of him. He finally settles on the spider's face.

"I'm teaching this cabin boy sssome mannersss," Scroop answers.

Scroop's glare only intensifies. "If you haven't noticed it that job happens to be mine," he growls thru clenched teeth, and snatches the teen by the collar from the arachnid. The boy feels much like a sack of potatoes from where he is dangling.

"Sssince the ssstart I haven't ssseen much improvement," argues the spider. "If anything, the boy have gotten worssse."

"That is a thing for me to decide, Scroop." The cook stands put, and won't be moved an inch.

"I sssugessst that sssomeone elssse ssshould be allowed to take care of the boy and hisss anticsss," the spider insists. "Sssomeone that are to make sssure the boy will behave from now on."

Silver straightens a bit, and gets just a tiniest bit taller than the crewman. "But that is all it is, a suggestion. Until the captain says otherwise, Scroop, Jimbo will stay with me. What you should do instead of suggesting is to refrain yourself from chasing my cabin boy."

Jim haven't planned to be caught by the spider, but when he did get taken he could feel the fear in his stomach. That fear have now melted away now when he sees Scroop back away a bit, defeated. The teen would have referred to bump into someone else who could have dealt with the spider, like Amelia or Mr. Arrow, but Silver works to. Jim knows that he will probably get into trouble with the cook for angering Scroop now when the cook have seen it all with his own eyes, but sometimes mishap happens.

As the spider gives the teen one last resentful look the boy gives a small, self-confident smile. Then Scroop looks back at Silver. "My patience isss running quite thin with this one," the crewman warns, as he says every words with glowing anger. With he turns and walks away while hissing and growling, and doing so until he disappears completely from view.

Jim breath out, content to be out in danger, but that is everything he have time with until he is face to face with another danger in the form of the cook.

"Care to indulge me?" Silver mutters while he brings the boy to his face, who the cook still have in a hard grasp in the back of the collar and not in any mood to let the teen back down to the floor.

"Yes," Jim answers, quick with something to say. "Scroop have still to grow a brain."

"And the same goes for you," the older man frowns. "If I have told you once, I have told you a hundred times. DON'T GET INTO FIGHTS THAT YOU CAN'T WIN!"

The teen gets irritated on those words. Surely the cook have told him countless of times to watch who he have to do with. That doesn't make the boy back down from the spider. Never is Jim to stand down from someone like Scroop, the arachnid have no ounce of friendliness in him. Neither have the crewman any decency. _And it wasn't me who got into it. Scroop dragged me into it._

"Never mind, I don't have time for this. I'll have to deal with you and your game of tag with Scroop later." After that order Silver roughly puts the cabin boy down. "You are to get back to work. Where are those vegetables I told you to get?"

_Probably all over the floor._ Jim stales up at the thought, and another nervous smile spreads on his face when he recon that a few of the food items probably are squashed. "I'll go get them," he reassures when he sees the suspecting look Silver gives him. "You just go back to the galley and I'll be right over." Then the boy rushes away the same way he have come, past the sulking Scroop and away from John's inquiries.

* * *

Day 30, 16:27 o'clock

Jim bumps into Scroop once again today, this time by the stairs to the galley on the top deck. The teen have just come up those stairs with a mop in one hand and a bucket with some soap-and-water in the other.

"Going somewhere?" the spider asks and blocks Jim's way just like the last time.

"Aren't we all?" Jim asks back and begins to move around the crewman. Scroop moves again and blocks the teen once more.

"I asssked about you, boy." The yellow eyes grows thin with irritation.

"I am to mop the floor," Jim answers and signs to the rest of the deck floor with the mop. "The one you uses and grimes every day."

"I think that can wait for a moment," Scroop says. _Oh, he can think now? What will the world think up next?_ Jim is on the verge to voice those thoughts, but then figures that the spider likes to comment like that all the time. _He probably knows that he is an idiot, to comment it is just unnecessary._

"Just what is it that you want?" asks the teen, and puts down the bucket. The soap-and-water are only to grow heavier the longer he just stands around with it in hand.

"I still want an explanation about yesssterday."

"Ah, yes, why was I drunk?" Jim repeats the question that Scroop wants answer to. "You are really hanged up on that, aren't you?" He gets only a growl as an answer from the crewman. "The answer is quite honestly an easy one," the teen continues. "It is that I have some privileges as a cabin boy to the cook, one of them is that I can taste the rum whenever I want."

Of course, that is blatant lie. But it is a very good tactic to piss of Scroop, and it works out quite well if Jim are to judge at the spiders face. The cabin boy feels his legs itch to get running away, but not quite yet. Jim wants to say one last line that are to tip Scroop over the edge. "Face it, Scroop, I'm higher up in the ranks than you are," the boy smiles.

By the more hostile hiss the spider makes, together with the angered face, the teen understands that this is the moment to split. Jim drops the mop he is still holding before he makes a dive down the stairs to the galley. That is not a second to soon, as the next one to head down right behind him is an enraged spider.

While Jim flies to the side door of the galley, which is the only way out and away from Scroop, he hears a crash and a loud swear. When the boy gives a quick glance behind him he couldn't believe his eyes. Scroop have bumped in to the barrel to tumble down on the floor, which have made the lid to open up. Now the rum is covering the wooden floor in the whole galley. Jim couldn't stop a loud snort at that, neither another one at the spider's bewildered face as he crouches down to the liquid at his feet.

"That's what you get, Scroop," the teen says while he flees the scene in a hurry. For some reason the spider decides not to go after the boy.

* * *

Day 30, 17:36 o'clock

The reason why Scroop didn't follow makes it soon apparent when Jim hears Silver scream his voice away. The teen looks down the stairs at the the top floor to listen to the voices from down the galley. By the sound of it the cook could easily get a stroke and die of anger. Never have Jim heard the cook this angry on someone else that the teen.

"Why did I ever think that you would, or even could, leave the rum be?!" Silver screams. The only answer he gets is a slurry hiss. "And why is it all out on the floor?" the cook continues. "Did you really have to knock the barrel over? What am I to say to the rest of the crew?"

"They can *hic*… drink it from the floor," Scroop advices. "I did." Jim can hear Silver grumble sourly at the spider's voice. Clearly the cook doesn't agree. The teen suppresses a laugh by putting a hand in front of his mouth.

"Couldn't you just have waited with the rum until we gotten to the treasure planet?" Silver asks sullen.

"And let thossse idiotsss of a *hick*… crew the chance to take it all? Even that cabin boy couldn't stop himself from the *hic*… temptation."

"That's not what you think, Scroop," Silver ensures.

More the teen couldn't hear, as a third voice is heard from right behind him. "Eavesdropping now, are we?" the captain's voice asks. Jim slightly jumps from the sudden surprise and swirls around. Sure enough Amelia is there, with Mr. Arrow with her.

Jim sulks, as he wanted to hear more of the conversation in the galley and inwardly laugh at what he hears. "It's hard not to, the way they are raging," he tells truthfully and points down the stairs.

"What is it this time, I wonder?" Amelia asks, and sounds tired while doing it. "With Silver I guess anything can turn into a disaster."

"You couldn't have sssaid it better, captain," Scroop agrees from down the stairs, drunkenness clear in his voice.

"Shut that trashcan you call a mouth!" Silver shoots with renewed anger.

Amelia's head snaps up and gives a sharp glare down the stairs. "Is Scroop drunk?"

Silver, clearly in understanding that he is very possibly in trouble, comes to the foot of the stairs and nervously trashes around a bit when he comes to the foot of the stairs to look up at the captain. "Uhm… no?"

"Lier," Scroop comments from deeper in the galley.

"Shut it," the cook glares over the shoulder.

"First I hear that Mr. Hawkins is drunk yesterday, and today it is Scroop? I am assuming that you are the only source to get alcohol from, Silver, as you are the one responsible over the pantry," Amelia speaks and heads down the stairs, with Mr. Arrow in tow. "You better have an explanation of this."

Mr. Arrow stops for just a moment by Jim and looks down at the teen. "I expect you have better things to do than to stand here, Mr. Hawkins," the second-in-command says, and basically tells Jim to do something other than to eavesdrop, before Mr. Arrow follows the captain down the stairs.

The teen guesses that the fun are over now when the captain is here, and starts to go away. He couldn't be more wrong, as ten steps away from the stairs he hears a crash and loud voices. Jim only learns later that Scroop have stumbled and smashes right into a cabinet with kitchen tools.

* * *

Day 30, 17:52 o'clock

Jim couldn't stop to grin at the sight in the brig. In one of the holding cells is both Scroop and Silver; the spider is out cold and the cook could do nothing else than glare daggers at his cellmate. Silver sees Jim's grin and the red mechanical eye seems to turn even redder when the cook faces the cabin boy.

"Don't think it will go easy for you while I'm in here," Silver grumbles. "When I'm in here you'll be expected to do my job."

That successfully makes the teen's grin disappear within a nanosecond, and what Jim thought to be hilarious turns to a nightmare. Jim gets into a temporary state of shock and horrid realization. When the cook sees that the boy now understands the situation the older man sighs.

"I wished I could have had one tankard of that rum," Silver grumbles, and curses that most of the alcohol have gone thru the planks in the galley. He really feels like getting drunk right now.

* * *

**Hello, all. As usual, credits to all the guests plus KylieIsrael that have reviewed and sent me ideas for this chapter.**

**And for SunnySide, I'm glad that you liked the story. I hope my funky grammar isn't too much of a pain. For the black hole/supernova scene from the movie, I will include it but I have at least a few more ideas I like to do first. And there might come in more ideas from the other readers. But once those things are done,the ****black hole/supernova scene will come and will be the beginning to the end of the story. If it will be in Silver's POV I don't know yet, I haven't planned so far.**

**PS. After writing 5 000 words into one chapter you relize how much work a real writer must endure. Especially when two chapters have been that long in the same story. Try it yourselfs. It's an eyeopener.**


	22. Day 30: Jim Hawkins, Three Is a Crowd

Day 30, 17:55 o'clock

Jim have worked as cabin boy to Silver for a month now, and learned the tasks and routines given to him. But that doesn't mean that he is ready to take over for the cook's whole job, not even for a day. That is completely out of the question, something that Silver and Jim both agrees on. But how will they get the cook out of the brig?

"Maybe I should just go and ask the captain to let you out," the teen suggests.

"After what happened?" grumbles Silver, as he slumps at where he is seated on the bunkbed. "Maybe not the best idea."

"What happened?" Jim can't help to ask. "I heard something about Scroop bumping right into a cabinet."

"And nearly brought Amelia down in the fall. I think that she might have experienced a very strong feeling of déjà-vu."

Jim recalls at once the day when he have put some oil on the cook's cybernetic parts, which lead to Silver's crash into Amelia. The corners of the boy's mouth twitched upwards at the memory, and threatens to turn into a smile. He quickly puts his one hand in front of his mouth by instinct. He couldn't help to give a suppressed snort of laughter.

Silver's head snaps up at the sound, and by seeing the boy's amused face the cooks glare comes back. "It isn't funny!"

"I beg to differ," Jim speaks, with laughter that now comes unhindered.

"This is serious, Jimbo!" Silver barks.

The teen heaves some strained wheezes. "Yeah, yeah, sorry. I just…." The boy isn't able to speak any further before another giddy laughing fit finds its way up his throat. _It's just too comical. She will never let him down for that time._ Silver, who is locked in behind bar, can't do anything to stop Jim's fit other than to observe it sullen silence from the bunkbed.

"Done?" Silver sighs once the teen finally have regained himself.

"Thinks so," chuckles Jim out of breath. "So, back to business. How are we getting you out if we are not to ask Amelia?"

"Try put *hick*… mussstard on the lock," comes a voice from the newly awake, but still drunk, Scroop. That only serves to make Silver glare at the spider and to send more laughter out of Jim.

"Go back to sleep!" the cook says, almost outright demands. "You have done enough damage!"

"No, no, no," a very amused teen interjects swiftly. He really wants to hear this, as the opportunity to listen to a drunk Scroop doesn't come along every day. "Don't go to sleep. Explain how the mustard will unlock the cell door."

"Don't encourage that idiot!" Silver interjects, not in any mood to hear any more twaddle from a drunkard. He have gotten enough on that front when Jim have been in that state.

"The mussstard will eat right thru the sssteel," Scroop answers anyway, in a tone that clearly says it is the most natural fact in the world.

"Because it is hot mustard," Jim almost whimpers from the pain in his stomach as he laughs even more. He remembers the typical burning sensation from the time he have tried a teaspoon of a brand of hot mustard back home. _It will burn right thru it._

"Exa*hick*… ctly," the spider confirms.

Silver sighs and rolls his eyes at the situation that he have landed in while he waits for the cabin boy to calm down, not impressed at all that the two others comes along just fine at the moment. "This is gold right here," Jim wheezes when he is calm enough to speak as normal, with the biggest smile ever. "Comedy gold."

"Glad that we can amuse you," the cook says with exaggerated irony, before he grows serious. "Now stop dillydallying and come with something sensible for a change." He could see from the corner of his eye that Scroop opens his mouth to say something, probably another of his 'helpful' tips, but Silver is quick enough to face him and speak before the spider is able to get a word in edgeways. "You can be quiet!" the cook orders with a finger pointing in the arachnid's face, with a patience that is a few centimeters from breaking.

"Well, Scroop have a point, actually," reveals the teen. "Why not do something with the lock? We leave the mustard out of it, we can just pick it."

Silver frowns at Jim's suggestion. "Am I to assume that you know how to pick a lock? What have you been doing in your spare time back where you're from?" It is here suspicion grows in the cook's face as he observes the teen, who frowns back at what he hears. "Have you unlocked people's front doors and waltzed wherever you pleased in their homes? Why not take a few things while in there? I never thought that I had a cabin boy with robbery, burglary and trespassing in his list of experiences."

"Hey, knock it off," the boy speaks a bit irritated. Although he lets the fact that he have actually trespassed with his solar surfer in the past, in fact the very same day he have gotten his hands on the map to the treasure planet, be unsaid. "Of course I don't know how to pick a lock, I thought that you might."

That just makes the cook even more suspicious. "Have I given you that idea?"

Jim thinks for a short moment before he answers truthfully, although the irritation is still there. "No."

"Well, then." The suspicion drains a bit from John, but not completely. "There you have the answer to your question."

"Then just HOW are we to get you out of the cell?" the teen asks as he throws up his hands in the air. "I don't hear you make any suggestions."

The cook gives it a long good thought. Jim observes him expectantly, while Scroop gives a low snore where he finally gone back to sleep on the floor. "The option of using my blowtorch to get the cell open is always there, but that wouldn't be popular with the captain," Silver murmurs. "She wouldn't approve of getting the ship damaged." John then gives a sigh and gets an exhausted face. "Maybe it is for the best to get the captain to change her mind," he says, and the teen outright facepalms himself at the fact that it is the very thing Jim have said in the beginning. "But how that will be done is not going to be easy."

"She must listen to reason," the cabin boy points out. "Maybe she will not let you be out all the time, but maybe for a few hours or so to help with the cooking every breakfast, lunch and dinner. Or else the crew will do with poorly prepared food."

"Which is a good beginning," Silver concurs and gives a bright smile. "I see that you are beginning to use that noggin of yours."

That only makes the boy glare at the older man. "You want out or not?"

"What? It was a compliment."

Just as the teen opens the door to the brig to leave he hears a worried babble. Morph turns up in the doorframe, and shoots inside the brig as soon as it sees the cook in the brig. "Oh, there you are, Morphy," the cook smiles. "I was just wondering where you are." The pink blob goes ahead and snuggles into the cook's one cheek; Morph have probably wondered where Silver have gone to. "There, there, no need to worry," John ensures his little friend.

"No, no need to worry," Jim repeats from where he stands at the open door, with a smug tone. "I am only to try to get your freedom back."

Silver eyes the teen with a brow raised. "Best for you not to get it wrong, Jimbo, or else you will do the cooking yourself."

The reminder only gets on Jim's irritation. "I know."

"And make sure not to get the captain angry," the cook says after the boy just as Jim are to go out from the brig and close the door after him.

"I KNOW."

* * *

Day 30, 18:09 o'clock

Jim heads towards the captain's cabin. He hopes that she is in a good mood despite what have happened to her today. He really must convince her to get Silver out of the brig, but probably only the mention of the idea are to surely send her into a mind that can be compared to a thunderstorm; a silent rage that will be directed solemnly towards Jim. Let's just say that the teen doesn't enjoy the task he have been given. Not one bit.

When he have reached the door he halts and gives what he is to do a thought. He must choose his words wisely for this to go as smoothly as possible, or Silver might not come out of the brig at all. Then he gives the door three solid knocks.

"Enter," is heard from the other side. He complies. "Ah, Mr. Hawkins," Amelia observes from her usual sear behind her desk. She looks up from the document that she have been scribbling on with a big quill. Mr. Arrow stands at her side, slightly behind her and turned towards the entrance and the newly arrived Jim. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

As the teen closes the door behind him and takes a few steps forward he thinks his words thru one last time. _It is now or never._ "It is about Silver."

Jim have been right; the captain's mood darkens greatly. "Don't tell me you are here because you want him out," she mutters. When the boy gives a nervous smile and a slight nod as an affirmative she can only sigh at the situation. She puts away the quill in the open inkbottle beside her. Thereafter she puts her hands together in front of her face before she speaks again. "I have stood out with enough and more from him, and I have to tell you that enough is enough. I will not let him out now or for the coming days, and that's that."

"But then who will cook for the crew if not him?" the cabin boy tries. He knows that he and Silver begins with the dinner right about now, if they not are on a good way already. If Jim are not to start now the entire crew are surely to worry if they are to be feed at all. Not that the teen would be done with the food if he is to start now, but at least people are to see that it is on the way when they might come to the galley to see how things go.

"You are to cook," Amelia says with a tone that tells how obvious the answer is.

"But I can't cook!" Jim lets the captain know. "Silver was the one cooking, really. I mostly helped prepare the vegetables or did the dishes."

"Have you tried?" she persist. "You have lived all your life in an inn, have you not helped to cook there?"

"Only to make sandwiches and pour up guests glasses. Otherwise it have been the dishes, to clean up and whatnot. I have never been that interested of it anyway." He lets out what he have mostly spent his time on instead, as he bets neither the captain or Mr. Arrow would approve.

This is when Amelia brings down her hands and gets something mildly nasty in her eyes. "Seriously, Mr. Hawkins, it can't be that hard to do the job of that oaf." It is evident that the captain's thoughts are low concerning Silver, even though the cook have tried to suck it up to her the entire voyage.

To never rise his voice at her, to be polite to her to the point of it being hurtful according to Jim and send her food up to her cabin. Jim would know of all of these things. It is he, after all, that have to listen when he speaks to her and to listen to him speak about her when they are in the galley. It is the teen that Silver sends with the food to her cabin, too.

That, together with what the captain have said about how easy Silver's job is, sparks anger in the teen. Jim forgets those thought-out words he have planned to say on the way here within a moment's notice.

"If you think it's so easy then why don't you do it?!" the boy fumes out, and he is a bit in wonder himself that the words comes out of his mouth so easily.

This is the second time he stands up for the cook. This is Silver he is talking about, the person the teen have felt irritation and hate towards those first days. But now it is not the same, not at all. The cook is a friend, and Jim will be damned if he will not stand up for a friend. There are moments when the teen would only laugh at Silver's misfortune or if the captain would scold the cook for something, but this, what Amelia is doing right now, is a blow under the belt.

Both Amelia and Mr. Arrow perks their heads up at the teen's sudden outburst and change of tone. Both have mild shock in their faces, the teen can see it even when the two older individuals shows shock less than others.

"We happen to have our hands full with keeping the ship in order and on right course, as well as tending to dozens and dozens of documents and logs," Mr. Arrow frowns from where he stands slightly behind Amelia. "I must advice you, Hawkins, that you should watch your tone, and to refrain yourself when in the presence of the captain or myself."

"Why should I, if you are to talk bad about others?" Jim asks as he points an accusing finger at the captain. It is mostly meant at her, but partly at Mr. Arrow, too. "If it have been about someone who have deserved it I wouldn't have minded, but Silver have not. He is good at what he is doing, and he tries to be the greatest he can towards you every chance he gets."

"He is a bumbling idiot that's only reason upon this ship is to keep the other lot of unrefined louse dogs called crew feed," sums the captain up, irritated and a bit offended she is called out by a teenager, the youngest and the lowest of ranks on the RLS Legacy. HER! The captain, the one in charge and the one of highest rank within miles. "If he does it good is not of relevance, only that he do it adequately."

"That 'bumbling idiot' happens to be more important and better than you care to give him credit for," growls the teen, who only sees red at the moment. "And if you can't see that you are no captain I want to have!"

"Mr. Hawkins, one more of this foolishness and you've earned a one way ticket to the brig!" the captain booms. This is the only time the teen sees her loose the bigger part of her temper and scream in anger. Not that he realized it at the moment, as he must be as riled up as she is. "And I can promise you that this time you WILL not leave the cell until our return."

The teen's rage have reached its melting point. "DO IT, THEN!"

* * *

Day 30, 18:17 o'clock

"What did you do?" is everything Silver can say after Amelia and Mr. Arrow have left the brig. The cook glares in a mild irritated manner at his cabin boy, who sits on the bunkbed beside him.

"Nothing," Jim shoots back with his arms crossed, still angry.

"Doesn't seem as nothing," grumbles the cook with a low voice.

"It was NOTHING."

"Then nothing isss worssse than I thought," Scroop stirs from where he have been sleeping on the floor.

"IT WAS NOTHING!" Jim shouts, his only wish now is to be left alone and let both his feelings and thoughts rage within him in a silent solitude. It was hard, thought, when you have been forced into a cell with two other men in the very same cell and both these other men happens to be quite large in size. It starts to get cramped, and the headache he have had this morning is beginning to come back.


	23. Day 33: Captain Amelia, Sour Memories

Day 33, 10:21 o'clock

Neither Jim nor Silver makes it easy for her. Sometimes Amelia wonders if they have made some ploy on their first day onboard to make this journey unbearable for her. And ever since she sent Jim, Silver and Scroop into the brig the ship have become much like a madhouse. She herself can go mad of it all any day now and fit right in. not that she will show it until it is too late, the last she wants is to let those two unclassy dimwits that she lets herself get affected by their childishness. She is the captain. She is order and law upon this ship. She is the one that is to have the last word in everything.

She stands on the observation deck and watches down on the deck below, with Mr. Arrow at her side as her usual company. She have had many useful conversations and discussions with her second-in-command, where he have voiced his concerns and where she have reasoned her actions. Just one of these talks, however brief, they have had after their return to the captain's cabin after they have put Hawkins in the brig.

* * *

Day 30, 18:23 o'clock (memory)

"Although I agree with your actions, they have bedded for an immediate problem: who will cook?" Mr. Arrow's words rings all too true. Who will cook? Or rather, who have the knowledge to? As far as Amelia knowledge goes Silver and Jim is the only ones that have any knowhow to cook, and to cook to an entire crew at that.

Amelia have just taken a seat behind her desk in the captain's cabin, but for the change her second-in-command is in front of her desk so that they have better eye contact with each other. "I don't know," confesses the captain. "But I guess I can ask the crew if someone of them is willing to give it a try. It is dinner time, and hunger can be heck of a motivation."

Mr. Arrow is quiet for a moment, as he gets a face in deep thought. "Did you really mean what you said?" he asks.

"What part of it?" Amelia wonders and goes thru the conversation with the cabin boy earlier in her mind.

"That you'll have Jim in the brig until our return?"

"Yes, this time I mean to have him behind bars for that long, I really do. I only wish that I never let him out the first time. I thought I could give Mr. Hawkins another chance, but it seems I was mistaken." Here Amelia takes a deep breath and bows her head a bit, as she seems to immediately feel more tired than a second ago. "My first suspicion of that boy might have been right after all, however much I thought otherwise."

"Witch is?" The question is truly curious, and the captain sees that Mr. Arrow gives her an intrigued glance.

"That he is nothing but trouble. The first time I saw him I knew it immediately. His demeanor is just typical of that of a troublemaker; quiet, not in good mind about authorities, takes orders with critique and untasteful remarks. He is a villain in the making, Mr. Arrow. I thought that back then and I'm only reminded of it now. Especially when he feels it right to protect someone like Silver."

"I have no doubt that there is truth in what you say, captain," agrees Mr. Arrow. "But I have seen potential in him, too. Yes, he often do give critic when told what to do and lower whenever he stays quiet, but for the resent period I must say that he have become better. He have gotten more manageable and have gotten better at taking orders. He have gotten more used with the life onboard a ship and as a sailor. Isn't that to say something in his defense?"

"A betterment of how to take orders doesn't make up for what appears to be a negative personality, Mr. Silver. If Mr. Hawkins seems to be a scoundrel of a boy, wouldn't he then grow up to be a scoundrel of a man?"

"A troubled childhood doesn't necessary bed for an entire bad life, captain," the second-of-command reminds with a surprisingly soft voice, something that takes the captain a bit with amazement. "The best of people can come from the most unlikely of origins. Expectations from others might as well send a life down a doomed line."

"It might," Amelia mumbles. She must agree that she haven't kept an eye the boy as much as Mr. Arrow have, and gives what her second-in-command a moment of thought. Then her voice rises again. "But you must agree, these so called pranks are both unwanted and tiresome. Only what he and Silver have done this last month is enough to have both of them banned from any and all interstellar ships."

"Most certainly," bows Mr. Arrow.

* * *

Day 33, 10:22 o'clock

His talent to simply discuss with Amelia makes Mr. Arrow the best crewman she have. Not that he is the only one that comes along on her different jobs, the rest of the crew she works with is mostly make-shift and hire-ins, but Mr. Arrow really is one of the best. Just due to her many meetings and different collaborations with other crewmembers she would be the one to know.

Shortly after the imprisonment of Scroop, Silver and Hawkins the need of one or more temporary cooks is needed to step forward, to take up the responsibilities of the one in the brig. Amelia have turned to the crew, and have had them summoned together on the top deck. And after she have given it a longer thought the same day she have imprisoned the trio she have decided that when Scroop have regained himself from the drunkenness he are one of those that are to be posed in the galley as a temporary cook. Why not deliver that piece of news to the crew at the same time.

* * *

Day 30, 18:32 o'clock (memory)

"Listen up, all of you," Amelia speaks up from the observation deck to the gathered crew on the deck below, with Mr. Arrow as company. "You all certainly wonder why the food is late today, and I have gotten you all together here to tell you just that. The cook, together with the cabin boy charged in his care, is currently in the brig, locked in for certain crimes and oversteps that are to be nameless." A few mutters interrupts her here. Everyone can guess if what these 'nameless' reasons for imprisonment are: the pranks.

Quiet down, quiet down, if you please," the captain tries as she regains the people's attention so that silence is restored. "Until I deem it fit to let Mr. Silver out of the brig I have decided that others of the crew are to tend to the galley. One of them being Mr. Scroop." The murmurs starts again, but this time Amelia doesn't care to get the crowd to silence. "Is there anyone else here with experience to cook, or wants to take on the challenge? Scroop are to not available yet to cook today, and I guess when he is out he needs some help."

The crew quiets down once more, many even shares glances and looks among themselves. A few seconds passes without anything to happen. Amelia starts to wonder if Scroop are to cook alone, something that might be hard without any knowledge and experience. Especially when it comes to today's dinner, when he is both drunk and locked into the brig. Then, finally, one in the crew offers to help, and a few seconds later gets another crewmate to cut the work in half.

It seems that the crew will get dinner today, even when it will be a late one.

* * *

Day 33, 10:23 o'clock

Amelia doesn't tend to use temporary fixes that she know are bad from the start, she have hoped that someone in the crew actually could cook. But the situation have required that some crewmembers without the right experiences nor knowledge are to fill in Silver's post. It have worked as well as a blind leading another blind. Into the gutter, in other words. But she hopes that with adding another man to the galley would help somewhat, and she knows exactly who to pick.

Amelia is a bit content to know that Silver have trouble on his end, too.

* * *

Day 31, 11:03 o'clock (memory)

Amelia could hear it even before she opens the door. The voices of the three cellmates can clearly be heard several feet from the brig door, even when it is closely shut. The captain shares a glance with Mr. Arrow, both of them in understanding what the common question between them is: what is going on in there? They open the door to the brig, however, to meet with the loud discussion on the other side.

"-you be that stupid?" comes Silver's voice. "I told you and the entire crew to stay away from the rum. Yet you drank of it."

"What elssse would I have done?" answers Scroop, particular angry from the headache. "Let it all run thru the planksss? It wasss a good rum. And it wasssn't my fault, it wasss your whelp of a cabin boy."

"My fault?" exclaims the teen. "It was you who started it! You began the chase in the first place. And it was you who knocked the barrel over."

"When I wasss going after you, boy," the spider shoots an accusing claw Jim's way. "If you only have ssstood ssstill and anssswered my question it never would have happened."

"I did answer."

"With your cocky backtalk, and it wasssn't the ansssswer to my question."

"Both of you, shut it!" interferes Silver with such an angry voice that can boom any weak-minded person into fainting. Amelia bets Delbert would, anyway. "I don't care who did what, that's is insignificant at the moment. Both of you are at fault that we are in here."

"I am of another opinion," thinks Amelia, who up to this point have waited patiently by the bars for the trio to get quiet. She have quickly realized that wouldn't happen anytime soon, as all three haven't even acknowledged her there, nor that she and Mr. Arrow have entered at all. "all three of you bear responsibility for this mess."

The three cellmates snaps their heads up at her as all of them notices her for the first time. The discussion ends abruptly. "Oh, captain, sir," Silver starts to fidget, as his entire stature changes from angry and irritated to nervous and aghast. "You have to excuse us for not seeing you there, we were just talking."

"Yeah," Jim mutters. "Talking."

"I am to be brief, and I will not repeat myself," Amelia says, careful to say every word slow and clear so that these buffoons could understand. "So shut up and listen carefully. I am to release Scroop, but only Scroop. You two, Mr. Silver and Mr. Hawkins, are to stay in confinement." It is here that the cook and the cabin boy starts to protest loudly, but the captain gives them no mind and only rises her voice so that she can be heard as Mr. Arrow brings out the keys to the cell door. "Mr. Silver are to stay here a few days more as a punishment for the slipup with the rum and other earlier violations. Mr. Hawkins, on the other hand, are to stay here until our return to Crescentia for grave disorderly conduct."

"Disorderly?" complains Jim, and puts an abrupt end to his protests. Silver's chain of protestations takes a few more seconds before it, too, dies down. "Whenever have I been disorderly?"

"How about all the time?" offers the cook and pinches the bridge of his nose.

The teen gives the older man a sidewise glare. "Oh, sod o-."

"While you are in here I advise you to think over your actions," Mr. Arrow cuts of Jim's words while the second-in-command unlocks and opens the cell door to let the spider out, who snickers a bit to himself on the wat out. "And if you need to talk something out between the two of you this is a perfect opportunity." With a clap the door shuts closed.

"Hey, wait a minute," the boy speaks up when the guests leaves with Scroop out the door of the brig and takes a hold of the bars. "Why are Scroop allowed out?"

"Because he is lest guilty of you," comes Amelia's voice. "And someone needs to cook while Silver is locked up." _As punishment for almost crushing me._

"What?" chokes the spider out, as surprised as Silver and Jim is.

* * *

Day 33, 10:23 o'clock

The captain almost purrs at the thought of letting the two of them fight in that small cell for all eternity. _Maybe that would teach them one thing or two._ Only the thought to have to let them out someday is a disappointment, a disappointment that should have come later than it have according to her. But she wasn't short on reasons, closer the count of the rest of the crew.

* * *

Day 31, 18:08 o'clock (memory)

The crew is at an uproar as soon as lunch time that day. The work have cringed to a halt and the whole working force stands gathered on the top deck. All of them screams for Silver's release. Amelia stands on the observation deck above them, with Mr. Arrow at her side.

"Calm down," she urges thru the crowd's of voices and complains. "This with the food is only temporary. When I see it fit that Silver can be released the cooking will go on as normal."

"And when will that be?" wonders one crewmember over the noise, that refuses to die out. "In a week? Two?"

"We work our bodies sore," says another. "The least we are worth are to get feed with decent food."

Amelia frowns her brow, as she feels her irritation rise. "You are getting that without Silver."

The shouts grow louder, and the phrases that the captain can make out bode that her statement is wrong. "Are you blind?" exclaims one voice. "You must be stupid!" offends another. And those are the kinder of things that the captain makes out. She realizes that she might need to evaluate Silver's usefulness. In the end she gets the crew to calm down and to wait with Silver's release another day.

* * *

Day 33, 10:24 o'clock

So what left that her? If she haven't let Silver out she would have an uproar at her hands. If it was up to her – not that the rest of the crew have anything to do on what, how or when she takes decisions about – Silver would be better off rotting his whole life in jail. That he happens to be the ship's cook is just a bad coincident that come with an otherwise hopeless man as him. So it is with a calm, brave face that she have let Silver out and meets with the man in the galley.

* * *

Day 32, 11:17 o'clock (memory)

The galley have been a mess since only a part of days ago. The crewmembers that have been assigned to there until Silver's return have not known where anything have been, from the smallest of milliliter to the biggest of pots. And that none of them haven't known how to cook on such a large scale, or barely how to cook at all for that matter, haven't helped one bit.

And if that haven't been enough, the cook and the cabin boy have mostly screamed at each other in the brig. What it have been about she have no interest of to get to know, she only hopes that they have worked it out. _Childish squabbles, no doubts._

"You are to keep yourself out of trouble," Amelia demands of Silver as they stands face to face by the table in the galley, but she feels in her gut that there are a big chance he might not.

"What about Jimbo?" the cook wonders carefully after a moment of scratching his chin.

"He stays where he is," she answers. And with that she turns around and walks up the galley stairs, not in any care of how Silver takes her words. She have just solved a big problem with a man she rather have in the brig a few days longer.

* * *

Day 33, 10:25 o'clock

Amelia looks up at the sails that flaps above her head. The memories of these last days only succeeds to make her sullen and completely tired. She really have looked forward to have some peace and quiet onboard when she put Silver in to the brig, but then Hawkins have to put himself there, too. Now it seems like she can only have Jim coopedup. She hopes that is to make some sort of peace, as last time the teen have spent a few days in the brig.

* * *

**Credits for last chapter (who I totally forgot to credit until hours after publishing it) and for this chapter goes to the many reviews I have gotten. I really appreachiate the help, guys. Thank you!**


	24. Day 33: John Silver, The Final Border

Day 33, 11:36 o'clock

Silver observes the door to the captain's door with uncertainty; he doesn't really know how to express what he want to say to the captain. It is about the mess in the galley. He have tried to clean up and organize things, but it is a lot of work for one man. And it doesn't help that Silver are expected to work as usual to cook and give out meals.

Things lies in the way and everything that he needs to use to cook needs to first be cleaned before it immediately gets dirty again. It's a pure nightmare.

* * *

Day 32, 11:20 o'clock (memory)

Silver sights as he observes the galley. It is in complete disarray, with pots, kitchen tools and random plates in piles over all the flat surfaces in the room. _Even the floor._ That fact annoys the cook the most. _They couldn't even pick it up from the floor._ He bends down to pick up a plate, amazed to find dried-in left-overs on it. _This will take ages to clean up._

One corner of the plate flashes a little in the light, a small area that have stayed spotless. Silver sees the reflection of an eye, and for a moment he thought that he sees the face of the cabin boy. But that turns out to be false, as the only thing that looks back at Silver is a copy of his own organic eye. _I need help with this._ The revelation is clear, and can't be disputed in his mind. The one that can help him, though, is locked in.

_How am I to get Jimbo out?_ That is the problem that he feels that he must take care of first, if he is to save time in the long run. But he doesn't want to do it just because he needs it for his work. No, he wants the company. He wants the friendship. He wants the conversations, the fights and the laughs both.

And yes, even the pranks.

No friendship he have had earlier have turned out so close like this one. At times the two of them can relax and chill with the minimum of words between them. And it doesn't feel weird at all, not one bit. At other times they can fight as bad as if both of them have adopted the rage of a storm with not signs of an end.

He knows that it probably weird that a friendship can swing between two such extremes, especially when these extremes are in opposite sides of the spectrum. He is amazed himself over it sometimes. But then he only guesses that it is natural… for a father and son of sorts… to be this chaotic sometimes.

Indeed, Silver have gotten the realization about it. Jim have, without the cook's knowledge or permission, turned into something very dear. A good friend, yes, which can go on the big man's nerve, to rage, to laugh and to relax. The closes of friends, that have the cursed ability to hurt each other more than any other can. They really do care over how the other thinks and feels.

But Silver have even begun to watch Jim as something of an adopted son. A son that he never have gotten, and that he ever thought of getting. And never figured of feeling so much responsibility over or care for.

He have thought about this much since that day, when Jim have been drunk. The big man remembers what the boy have said that day. _"You're not my father. But I bet you wish to be. So-o… sooooo… why not? Hmmm? Why aren… aren… __**aren'T**__… you my dad? We both know that anyone can do a better job than the last one."_

Silver DO wish that now, when he have given it a thought. When he gives it a thought he have grown to feel like this for quite some time now. Even though that the thought have been ludicrous in the beginning of the journey, Silver is going to watch over his cabin boy; his friend and his son.

The cook looks up from the plate and puts it on all the other dishes on the table. He don't know how he is to get Amelia to change her mind and get Jim out of the brig. But he have to get it done, somehow.

He needs to think on how to say it though. He have never been good with words, and when it comes to Amelia you need to be particular good with words. If he thought that Amelia have been dead set to keep Jim behind bars the last time, then there is particularly hard to get the cabin boy out this time.

"Last time she let the lad go by herself," Silver grumbles. "I guess it's nothing that will happen again."

* * *

Day 33, 11:38 o'clock

Silver stands in Amelia's cabin, with the captain herself seated in her usual place. He have just entered, but since his appearance after Amelia's commanding "enter" there have not been another word spoken. Of course, Mr. Arrow is also there. The captain looks a bit tired, and the cook can only guess it is because that she knows why he is here.

"This concerns Mr. Hawkins, I presume?" she asks, and proves Silver's guess right.

"As usual, your benevolence hits the nail with such an accuracy," the cook while he takes his hat of his head and bows in respect. He can tell that the captain rolls with her eyes at his flattery, as she thinks that he is just babbling. It have never stopped him before. "I see yet again why you have become a captain; anything below that are a waste of your intelligence, captain, sir."

"What about him?" she asks with strain in her voice, and Silver straightens himself to his full length. He keeps his hat in his hands. _Maybe calling her benevolence is a bit much._ He nervously chuckles a bit, as he knows that what he is about to request next are not surely to get her on her nerve. She would surely not grant it; he surely wouldn't if he would be in her seat and have been thru what she have been thru.

"I really need his help in the galley, if it isn't of too much trouble."

Amelia stares at him with that sullen, unbelieving face of hers. He have been yet again in his assumption, she doesn't like it one bit. It takes a moment before she says anything. "You have been out since yesterday, and you already asks for him?" she asks.

"You saw the galley," Silver states honestly and looks her right in the eyes. He guess that no amount of flattery would help him in this situation, so for the moment he drops it completely. "The mess would take me too long to clean up by myself. I

"I thought that you could handle it, you are the cook after all."

"Usually I would," the cook insist. "But this isn't usual. I have still have an ocean of dishes to take care of, which is in the way when I cook and that I don't really get time to deal with cause of my other duties."

"Then why not just get another crewmember to help you?"

Silver have to laugh a tiny bit. "And who would that be? Scroop? Whatever happened while I was in the brig have discouraged everyone on the ship to ever set a foot in the galley other than to _get_ food. Nothing else."

Amelia frowns her brow in irritation at that. "Everyone need to do something that they don't like sometime here in life, and my crew are no different. If I tell them to get down in the galley and help with some dishes, then they are."

"_Some_ dishes? It is still a sea of it."

"Then it is best for someone to get going with it." The captain waves dismissively with her hand, as she seems to have nothing more to say about the matter; to her it was even nothing worth to bring up at her doorstep. "As you so willingly volunteered Mr. Scroop to help out you can bring him with you on the way back to the galley."

And with that the conversation is doomed to be over, as Amelia refuses to speak more about it. With loud grumbles and mumbles that the captain is impossible Silver exits the room to collect Scroop. The sider will not like this, as little as Silver does.

* * *

Day 33, 13:52 o'clock

Things turns out just as the cook have expected. Some of the dishes have been done, yes, and even some sort of lunch have been made and served. But more shouts and screams have taken place than actual work. Silver and Scroop can't come along, they are in the way of each other, and none of them really want each other there. It's a bit like when Jim have gotten there, but a hundred times worse. Scroop rivals Silver in size, and even when the spider might not be just as strong as the cook he sure is faster.

"Get out of my galley!" the cook commands Scroop in the end, as he can't stand to work like this any longer.

"With pleasssure," the spider hisses, as he climbs the stairs.

Silver finds himself alone amongst the mess again. He gives all his troubles a heavy sigh as he rubs his eyes with his meaty hand. He knows that if he goes to the captain again she would only assign someone else from the crew to him. _It is Jimbo I need._ The kid knows the routine, and is of less of an irritation inside the galley than anyone else to the cook.

Silver breathes heavy for a moment as he relish the silence. He need to think right now. He can't keep going like this, so what is he going to do? He looks up at the stairs then. He have gotten an idea, and is sure that the captain isn't going to like it.

But frankly, he doesn't really care right now.

* * *

Day 33, 14:13 o'clock

"Silver?" comes the surprised voice of Jim. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" asks the cook as he fiddles with the lock. "I'm getting you out."

There is a small pause, and for a moment Silver believes that the boy are to let him concentrate. What John is doing right now need all the concentration that he have. He turns out to be wrong. "Are you picking the look?" the cabin boy wonders with a frown.

"Yep." The answer comes out of Silver without thinking on what he says, he is too busy on the look.

"You know how to?" The cook halts, then he looks up at the teen. It is first now that the older man remembers what he have told about himself and picking locks; that he can't do it. It was almost true… he isn't great at it. But yes, technically, he CAN do it. The only reason he have told the teen otherwise is that it would probably just be bad influence. _Great! Now he wants me to teach him._ The cook can see it all over the boy's face.

"You can forget to ever learn it from me," the big man grumbles, angry that the small secret is blown away, before he resumes his work with the lack. "In fact, I don't want you to ever learn it from anyone."

"Oh, come on," Jim tries. "Why not?"

"Because it's wrong," states Silver. "If something is locked it means that you are not to touch it."

"Like that lock?" The cabin boy gets a certain smugness in his voice, and the older man can picture the small grin that covers Jim's entire face. The cook gives a short glance at the teen's finger, which points at the very lock that Silver is working on. For a second John refuses to humor the boy with an answer.

"It's an exception," the older man grumbles low, and even though that he have only eyes for the look at the moment he can picture the small grin grown into a full-fledged smile.

"Suuure it is."

The lock clicks, and Silver opens the cell door. "Come right on out, Jimbo, lad."

"But what about the captain?" the teen wonders while he walks out. "Won't she be mad?"

"You can be sure on it," John confirms. "She will even be outright furious. But right now, I don't care."

The cabin boy looks at him in shock. Silver goes even right ahead to call the expression on the younger man's face for baffled. There is smallest of pauses between them while the boy looks the cook up and down.

"What have you done with the real Silver?" the teen finally asks, and the cook understands the need of the question. John have never before gone against the captain in any way. He have rather done the complete opposite.

"Temporary break," the cook simply says with a shrug. "Come on, Jimbo. We have a mountain of work to do."

* * *

**As usual, credits to the guests that have reviewed.**

**I hope that you all have noticed how the relationship have evolved between Silver and Jim since the beginning. I must be honest, while I made the final arrangement and listened to the theme titled "Silver leaves" from the movie at the same time my heart grew all warm... have never felt something like that over what I myself have written.**


	25. Day 33: John Silver, Bravo!

Day 33, 15:42 o'clock

Silver have definitely been right about Amelia's reaction over what the cook have done, and the visit from her about it comes to soon to Silver's liking. The captain's face is as cold as Antarctica as she works her way down the stairs to the galley. Mr. Arrow follows her down but stays at the opening, like a guard that stops anyone to neither enter nor leave. Amelia continues all the way to the pair, which is in the middle of different piles of dishes.

There are different pillars for the different plates, and right beside them are the high posts of the tankards. Then there are the smaller mountains of forks, knives, spoons, ladles, whisks, spatulas and the likes. And, of course, the stacks and further stacks of pots, skillets and frying pans with layers of grease so thick you wonder if they ever have been cleaned for years, even though that it all have been done in only the time Silver have been in the brig. There are heaps with cleaned dishes, but there is still more things that is in need of a serious scrubbing than not.

Both Jim and Silver have looked up as the captain have entered the galley, and they both stop doing the minute they see it is her. She stops in front of them, with her hands behind her back.

"Why have I found the lock of one of the cells picked?" Amelia begins with ice in her tone. "And why do I find that the very same cell is empty, only to successfully guess the prisoner to be here?"

"The lock might have been broken," offers Jim with a sly smile to her first question. He doesn't feel like being nice to the captain at this moment. "And for your guess? Dumb luck, maybe?"

Silver only rolls his eyes at his cabin boy, and the captain only thins her eyes at the teen with annoyance. Mr. Arrow remains as a stone statue where he stands at the base of the stairs.

"Because I need him," Silver turns to her.

"To free someone from the brig is something only the captain or the second-in-command have the right to do," hisses Amelia. "From the decision itself to the unlocking of the cell door. Both is rights that a cook far from have, and yet you have the illusion of having them." She strides closer to the cook and looks him dead in the eye, with a snarl upon her lips that is so ferocious that she can very well be mistaken for a lion and with her ears flat against her head in anger.

She bends her back forward so that her face is in the same level as the sitting cook, so that they can have a good look at each other. Silver can feel his own face wrinkle up into a mean frown in response; it is in this moment that he finally decides that he doesn't really like the captain. "Then let me break that illusion right now," she continues. "You have no right to take such decisions. Those are mine and Mr. Arrow's, no one else's." After that she straightens up and walks back a few steps, but her eyes are still locked onto his all the way.

"I might have picked it any time," Jim chirps up at the captain, a lie that is so blatant that Amelia obvious can spot it straight away. "Have you never thought of that?" His tone is a bit hurt that her first expectation is that the cook is the one to pick the lock and not the teen. But his words goes ignored by everyone in the room.

"It was an unfair decision to lock him into the brig in the first place," counters the cook. "To be imprisoned and locked away for the rest of the journey for being a-a what? A loud-mouthed idiot?"

"Hey!" exclaims the cabin boy at the last part. Silver can see from the corner of his eye that Jim begins to get the feeling of getting cut out of the conversation entirely, even when the conversation in question is right in front of him. It is even about him. But yet he is ignored, however many of his own injections he might put in.

"He is a pup, by Flint's ghost," Silver continues unhindered. "An unruly pup, I can agree with that. He do things that he shouldn't, he says things that he should leave unsaid and he can drive anyone insane with his childish fanatics. But until he do a real crime he shouldn't spend his time in jail."

"What I do is to give him some well needed discipline. What you have described in the boy can only lead to problems that never should have existed originally."

"There is hope for him, I have seen it. But to be too hard on him, to misunderstand him, will only worsen it."

"Oh, is there hope, really?" The hiss comes out of Amelia like if it was a curse, and her rage flares up even more. And so does her voice with every word she takes. "All I have seen is a very long line of pranks that becomes ever more ridiculous by the day, an attitude that is anything but acceptable and a never-ending disorder that no captain could, or even should, ever stand." Here she stops herself to glare deadly daggers on the cook before she continues. "Mr. Hawkins is a scoundrel, and a scoundrel should be locked in."

At this moment Silver have his eyes only at the captain. He is enraged at what he is hearing, and he refuses to let it be. His cybernetic eye have even turned red without his consent nor him noticing. He puts down the dishes he have been holding in an iron grip thru the entirety of the conversation and stands up. In his full length he is as tall as Mr. Arrow, and stands a good tall head above the captain. But she doesn't seem to be fazed in the slightest. She just stands there; cold, calm and unmoving like an block of ice. And that only triggers the cook more ever so slightly.

Silver's world shrinks, and he gives no notice to anything other than the woman in front of him. He doesn't even see the second-in-command behind the captain, who approaches them and makes himself ready in case the cook does anything stupid.

"He is not a scoundrel!" Silver lets her know with a somewhat loud roar. "And if you think that then you refuse to look what good he have done lately. Like when he accidently put glue in your hat instead of mine."

"He shouldn't put glue in anyone's hat," disrupts the captain.

"Whatever. Did he or did he not step up and take the blame?" Amelia gets quiet by that, with her mouth in a thin line and her angry gaze locked right on Silver's own eyes. "He have talked back less these last few weeks, he have become better at what he does and he is less sullen."

The captain remains silent for a moment; Silver can see on her that she have nothing to put against that… except for one thing. "If he have done such improvements, then when are the pranks to stop?"

Now it is Silver's turn to get silent. He enjoys the pranks, he don't want them to end. And he can bet that Jim don't either.

"I promise you, Silver," Amelia hiss with great anger evident in her tone, "that if the pranks don't end I will personally throw you and Mr. Hawkins into one of the longboats and have you find the treasure planet on your own. I am sick and tired of you both, and I rather be a cook short and endure the crew's anger than to live thru one more of these child-plays. I don't care if you get lost or not, only that you are of the ship." The captain's glare intensifies. "Understood?"

When Silver thinks back on this moment he swears that this is possibly the closest time he sees the captain to her breaking point. Not that he have known her for that very long, and therefore have not been able to see if this really can be considered close to her breaking point. But he likes to think on it that way, as he surely is close to his.

But he is able to contain his anger, much to his wonder later when he is calm again. Usually when he is this furious he can't restrain himself, but this time he can. He figures that maybe he somewhere in the back of his enraged mind still remembers the time he have gotten too angry at Jim and have thrown the boy into the wall. He have thought on that from time to time, and have wished that he could have stopped himself. Maybe it have helped somewhat, he figures later, or he should have surely made the captain very sorry for her words.

The two of them just stands there for a few heartbeats and stares at each other, both with anger and resentment. Then, without a word and before she even have gotten an answer out of Silver, she turns and walks away. Mr. Arrow moves out of her way as she passes, and after he have given the cook a long stern look he follows her up the stairs.

Silver glares after them for a moment, still not aware of that his cybernetic eye shines red, before he takes a seat back amongst the mountains and pillars of both clean and dirty dishes. Neither is he aware of the cabin boy, which sits and stares at him with a jaw that hangs loose from what he have witnessed. The cook don't even notices the small tears of gratitude on the boy, that there is someone that finally understands him, nor do the cook see the hand that quickly comes up to wipe those tears away. Silver don't notice his existence until the boy decides to speak up after a few silent seconds.

"Bravo, Silver," the teen murmurs in a low cheer, clearly impressed and pleased by the display.

"Shove a cork in it," bicker Silver, clearly in no mood for any cheer whatsoever. "Go back to the dishes, damn pup."

The cook knows that he have won this fight with the captain; the cabin boy will not be required to go back to the brig. But there is the small demand of letting the pranks end, which is a bit problematic. He himself don't want it, the journey will get too boring if it turns back to the way it have been. So the question is if he and Jim can do it without the captain to know in any way.

* * *

**Aaaand the friendship between the two is as deep as it can go (before this all "No, Silver is a pirate!" thing in the movie, that is). Don't worry, though, the pranks will still be coming for a while longer. Credits to the reviews I have gotten, as usual.**


	26. Day 34: Jim Hawkins, Sneaky Prank

Day 34, 05:07 o'clock

The memory of the day before is still clear in the teen's mind. Never have Jim been so happy to have Silver as a friend as that moment, when the cook have been willing to go against the captain. And what he said, besides! _He KNOWS me._ The thought warms the teen's heart more than he thought it ever would, and when he thinks of it at the moment he can't stop himself from smiling. _He REALLY knows me. He understands me and everything._

He recites the words that Silver have said in his mind. _'To be too hard on him, to __misunderstand__ him, will only worsen it.'_ The punctuation on that word, misunderstand, have more meaning to Jim that the older man can understand. As being misunderstood is really what the boy have felt like for years. By those police bots that have chough him and brought him home countless times, of Dr. Doppler on those same occasions and even by his own mother.

It is not like Jim wants to do bad. Or to make things worse. It is the least he wants to do, but, somehow, it just happened. And the frustration that the teen feels over it only grows when everyone only misunderstands him. He is not bad. He is just misfortunate, just like people can be lucky or successful.

When it comes to the pranks it is very unfortunate. Jim don't really know with Silver how he feels about it as they have not really discussed it, but the teen is pretty sure that the both of them don't really want it to end just yet. Not at least until when they are close to treasure planet. So the big challenge now is to go on without any trouble to come over any other of the crew.

And Jim might have a very good idea of what prank to do.

* * *

Day 34, 06:12 o'clock

The first opportunity that Jim have is at breakfast, when a distracted Silver fumbles with a little blemish on his hat. The cook have noticed this just a moment ago and have taken the cap off so that he can inspect it. He is sitting at the table in the galley to eat breakfast, and Jim is with him to do the same. Although the teen have been done with his breakfast for a short while now, where Silver is only half-done. Although that the teen have come up with the idea with the dried peas in a straw only minutes earlier he already feels a fidgety eagerness to make the first blow.

So the boy excuses himself from the table and quickly does his dishes. He then proceeds to walk towards the stairs, in the ruse that he is just to make a short errand up top. The cook don't suspect a thing at this point. When the teen gets to the stairs, though, he silently turns around and arms himself with the straw and one of the peas. He have taken the straw and the peas in the galley earlier that morning, when the cook have been looking elsewhere, and then puts them hastily in his pockets.

He puts the pea into the straw, puts the end of the straw in to his mouth, aims and gives a forceful blow. The pea hits the cook right between the shoulder blades, where Jim have tried to aim for the neck. The shot serves its purpose nonetheless, as Silver feels the unartful impact and reaches over his own shoulder to see what it is with a low grumble. The teen rushes quickly up the stairs as soon as he sees that the small projectile reaches its target. The giggles erupts in the teen's chest when he hears down the stairs how Silver grumbles over what just happened.

* * *

Day 34, 07:22 o'clock

The second chance Jim gets on the prank on Silver is when the cook walks on the top deck. The older man is carrying leftovers from breakfast to throw over the gunwale. The teen gets in a bit closer than last time and then proceeds to shoot. He have trained a little on his aim in privet, and it have improved somewhat. This time he hits a bit closer to where he wants. The pea hits Silver in the neck this time.

As the cook's hand jerks up Jim moves behind one of the masts before the older man is able to turn around. The giggles threatens to come out Jim's mouth and give him away, but the boy is able to keep it in. He hears how John grumbles and surely wonders who or what is making this to him, before the cook walks away.

* * *

Day 34, 10:18 o'clock

_I hate my life._

That is the only thing he can think of when he shifts a little at the restrains around his chest, as the slow swinging motion only reminds him of the situation he is in. He is up and rocks back and forth among the sails again, up in the mast. He is still quite afraid of heights, and he refuse to look down but once. He feels it to be a swindling distance, even if it is only a third of the length of the mast.

_I haaaaaate my life._

* * *

Day 34, 12:25 o'clock

A third time at the entire prank shows itself at lunch, when Jim and Silver prepares the food. The cook asks the teen to go and get a few items from the pantry. On his way out thru the side door in the galley Jim quickly turns around on the spot, aims and blows. Again the boy have trained, and now he can actually hit the spot that he aims at occasionally. This seems to be such an occasion.

The boy is out of the room the same time as Silver's hand goes up. No mumbles or grumbles is heard this time, but Jim can bet that Silver is looking around the galley quite irritated and angry now. The cabin boy figures that the older man also begins to assume who the guilty is by this point, so the teen decides to be a bit more careful here on out. Silver might just grab him and interrogate him anytime.

* * *

Day 34, 15:54 o'clock

A fourth and final try is made after Jim have been on the lookout for a good while if Silver is onto him. The teen deems it safe to have the cook taste on another sneak attack, so he goes to find John back in the galley. Luckily the older man have his back turned towards the stairs when the teen enters. Jim proceeds to go down to the lowest step as silently as he can. He takes aim and shoots. The second later he is surprised to find that something blurs into the line of the shot.

It turns out to be the little pink shifter, Morph, who flies to Silver's aid and catches the pea in its mouth with a happy gurgle. The moment after the cook turns slightly and glances behind him at Jim from the corner of his eye. A triumphant smile is on Silver's lips.

"That's cheating!" Jim exclaims, as he understands instantly what's going on and points at Morph.

"Ha, my boy, I never knew that we were playing by any rules," Silver chuckles.

* * *

Day 34, 20:04 o'clock

The rest of the day goes by uneventful. The only noteworthy thing that happens is that the last of the dishes from Silver's temporary stand-ins have left is cleaned, and returns the galley to its former order. By the end of the day Jim and Silver is wrapping things up before they are to tuck themselves in for the night. The little of what's left of the dishes are cleaned quickly, but as they put the last things away into their right places they notices something that haven't been there before. Or rather, John notice it for the first time, as Jim have felt it for an hour or so by now.

A quite loud cough erupts from the teen. It is then followed by another, then another. They are not of those dry coughing, that is superficial and doesn't sound like it comes from very deep down in the lungs. It is a wet cough, deep and gurgling and sore.

"It sounds like you are sick," observes Silver. "Or are about to get sick at least."

Jim, who have felt the subtlethrob in the back of his head and the foreboding of something in his lungs for a while now, do not want to believe it to be so. He don't want to be sick, it is the least he wants, and he refuses to agree with his situation. So he puts on a brave face for the cook. If Jim believes hard enough not to be sick, and pretends that everything is fine, the sickness might not bloom. Or so he hopes.

"Not yet I'm not," is the answer the teen gives.

"You sure?" Silver wonders, as he doesn't want a sick cabin boy to stumble around, to nock things over and to do his chores half-focused. It could easily spread to the rest of the crew, and that Jim is handling the food for everyone doesn't help. In fact, it would be best to find a secluded place to let the teen sleep instead for the crew's common sleeping quarters, so that the risk of spread gets so small as it possibly can. "It sounds bad."

No-one likes to be sick. It might preferable for some over work, but not for Jim. He doesn't likes to be coddled with, and nothing says that more than to be ordered to bed. Earlier it have been his mother that have given the order, but even when she's not here Jim suspects that the order will come anyway. From none other than Silver.

"Yes," Jim answers a bit annoyed. He have quickly grown weary over the subject, and want to skip it as fast as possible. "Now, stop asking me about it." But then he choughs again. It is another of those wet, deep sounds that only screams trouble. The cook frowns a bit over the cabin boy in front of him and just observes the teen for a moment. Then the older man gives a small shrug.

"I guess we can see who of us is right in the morning. But I must tell you, Jimbo, that if it turns out that I'm right I want you out of the galley and for you to stay in bed until I say otherwise."

_Uhg…_ The mental groan in Jim's mind is accompanied with a roll of his eyes. "Pfft, not a chance."

* * *

**Credit for today's chapter goes to Wildartist4, as he/she gave me the idea with the shooting peas. And for Jim getting sick I credit FinZ.**


	27. Day 36: Jim Hawkins, a Night to Remember

Day 36, 18:45 o'clock

But he got sick, much to his big irritation. So sick in fact that he couldn't stop coughing, not even to go to drift to sleep at night. Yesterday, as soon as Jim got up in the morning, he is forced to go to bed by Silver after only one glance. Not only that, but the cabin boy is directed to take down his hammock and put it up in a smaller broom closet so the chance of the sickness spreading to the rest of the crew is kept to a minimum. He is to stay there with the company with a lighted oil lamp to light the small space and all the brooms, buckets and other items that is typical for a broom closet, only to come out if he needs to go to the loo.

And what have Jim himself to say in the matter? A-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y nothing it turns out. He have tried to speak his mind, oh yes, that he don't want to be coddled in any way. But as soon as he tries to he is immediately quietened down by a stern, wordless glare from the cook.

"It is not like you are alone, Jimbo," Silver jokes and gives a playful wink before he closes the door and leaves the boy in the closet the day before today. "You can always chat away with the whole family of Mr. Mop and Mrs. Bucket."

"Really funny," Jim have only muttered as he have glanced to the five or six brooms that are in one of the corners, together with a small tower of buckets.

Even though the cook have ordered the cabin boy to only get out if in need to visit the loo Jim gets out of the tight space for other things anyway. Mostly to take a breather out on the top deck, to stretch his legs or do some easier chore. He HATES to just lie in bed and do nothing, it is too boring. And the coughing fit he gets now and then don't make it any better. He gets quite a scolding whenever Silver discovers him, though, which happened twice yesterday. The teen succeeds to sneak out several more times than that, though, but it is a secret Jim is prepared to keep quiet about.

By the time the afternoon have come and went the day before today green goo have started to come up with Jim's choughs, and it is by that time Silver realize that the teen must have some kind of infection in the throat or in the lungs.

"If you don't take it easy now it might turn into a full-blown pneumonia, Jimbo," Silver warns the last time he have escorted a protesting boy back to the closet. "So get in there and stay put, or I'll lock the door on you." And the cabin boy have done as ordered this time, as he feels the strength to do anything but fails him.

Since then nothing special have happened. He have coughed so much now during this last night that he have not that much energy to really wake up this morning. Instead he have been in a light, almost constant, slumber. Even the choughs have only a dull effect to wake him during the early hours. He have woken up to go out only once when nature calls, but that is the only time today that he have ventured outside the broom closet at all.

He faintly remember Silver to come, only to drop a plate of food when it is high time to eat, and to check the growing fever on Jim's forehead. The boy have tried to get the food down, but finds himself to feed only about a third of what he usually eat before he feels completely full. Not that he grows hungry anyway, as his appetite seems to have totally disappeared. He also remembers faintly that Silver have come back an hour later, to pick up the plate with whatever food Jim have left untouched.

Now, when the day is slowly nearing the end, Jim is completely gone to the world, and have been since somewhere after lunchtime. He have not even noticed Silver to come in and leave a plate of food at dinner, nor when the cook have returned an hour later to retrieve it. The choughs makes not even the smallest of imprints on the unconscious figure, either. Neither do the big, meaty hand on his forehead produce any kind of reaction.

Silver's brows comes together into a knot, as the heat that comes from the boy's skin is way above what's normal. Somewhere, in the dull, dark night that Jim's world have become, he can hear a voice echo from the void that sounds eerily much like the cook's. "Looks like it will be rough waters ahead, Jimbo."

Like setting the mood for a play on a theater, the words starts a feverish nightmare in the teen; Jim is alone onboard a lonely longboat in the middle of a storm, searching in vain for a Silver that have been frown overboard by the wind. To keep him company is one single hunch, a foreboding that the search is for nothing.

* * *

Day 36, 23:31 o'clock

Jim is awoken by a scream, and starts trashing around in his hammock in fright. It takes a few seconds for him to understand that the scream is his own, but even so the realization comes far too late. His hammock tips over and sends him to land hard onto the floor below. Or, rather, he anticipates it to be hard the second before his hipbone makes contact with the woodwork, but to his surprise he lands quite softly. As he fights the growing, sickening nausea before he tries to sit upright he understands why.

Several layers of blankets have been wired around his thin frame, each and every one folded and tied so very elaborate about him that he finds it impossible for his arms and legs to move out from his body at all. His whole figure is now much staler than he is used to, and it makes him look like a freakishly big larva or cocoon. He feels much like one, too, as he gives a few tries to move, but is only able to move a few inches in the fashion of a caterpillar. The packaging that holds him tight don't even loosen up after a few seconds of trashing.

_How did I end up like this?_ Regardless of his current predicament, this homemade design of something between a straightjacket and a wearable cushion does a great job on three things; protecting him from any and all kinds of injuries, pretty much restrains his limbs into one position, and makes him sweat from the heat. It might just be the sickness on the last one, Jim realizes it when a fit of coughs comes to him and several blobs of green goo comes up his throat in the process, but the layers of blankets must have some contribution to it, however small.

The cramped space of the closet is dark in the absence of the warm light from the oil lamp, as the light have been taken out while he have been in deep sleep by Silver. It is too dark to see your own hand, even if you would put it right in front of your nose. After half a minute of just fighting his restrains Jim gives up, panting with hoarse rasps from the effort.

He gives a small scowl as the thought of this possibly being something of a prank from the cook enters his mind. _Damn it, Silver, if this is a prank!_ That's when he remembers his dream. The long search for Silver, in a never ending storm with black clouds, hard rain and treacherous winds. The struggle starts again, fear rising in the boy. "Silver?" he asks out in the dark, desperate to hear his voice, to see if he is all right. The dream have been too real for his liking, and the thought that Silver really have died scares him more than he realizes. "Silver!?"

But no-one in the small closet answers him, and leaves the teen alone with his fever and his ever growing apprehension.

* * *

Day 37, 05:18 o'clock

The door to the broom closet opens, and lets bright, almost divine light into the dark area within. In it the outline of Silver, with a tray with a light breakfast on it in one hand, is seen. To Jim, from where he still lies on the floor under his hammock, it looks much like a sign from the heavens, seeing the person that he have in his sickly fever thought to be dead.

"Jimbo, lad?" the cook's voice comes with concerned, as the tray is quickly put down. "What in the nine, great galaxies have happened to you?" Silver comes to where the teen lies with two big steps, goes down to his knees, puts the tray to the side and picks up the package that is his cabin boy.

The teen sniffles, with many streams of fallen tears down his cheeks and snot running from his nose. "I… I-I had a nightmare," he begins with a weak voice, on the brink of giving out. "I dreamed that you… you…" He couldn't finish, and instead buries his face in Silver's shoulder, his own shoulders shaking lightly as more tears comes from his eyes. Silver sits there on his knees for a while, lost to what he should do, before he brings the boy closer into a hug, rocking them both back and forth slightly in a try to soothe the boy's crying.

It took more than ten minutes for Jim to calm down completely, all the while Silver holds him in the hug and pats the boy's back slightly. Nothing is said, much because Silver don't really know what he can say in this situation. He don't really feel any need to say anything, either, something that the cook is unsure if it's right or not.

The rest of the sickness, together with the coming few days, goes into a blur for the boy. Night and day goes into each other, neither of them of that much difference in the darkness of the closet. Afterwards he can't decide if some of the cook's visits really have happened or if it have been dreams. But most distinctly he remembers the nightmare, of the feverish search of Silver that never seems to end. He never really tells the cook the details about the dream, not even that it have been about Silver drowning and the teen's try to find him. A feeling tells Jim that the older man have guessed the most relevent parts of it, so there is no reason to ever tell him. At least according to Jim, that is.

He swears, though, that the cook wouldn't have stayed with him for hours after that nightmare, even how strong the notion that tells otherwise may be inside his stomach. Silver have a thousand better things to do than to just sit and keep him company, right?


	28. Day 39: John Silver, Story time

Day 39, 06:14 o'clock

Silver don't know what hurts the most, to sit by the hammock to watch Jim in the state he's currently in or to be away from the closet to do his job.

The day the cook discovered the teen on the floor under the hammock, afraid to tears, John have indeed been at the boy side to watch over him after stressing thru the preparation of the breakfast to the whole crew. He don't plan to tell the boy that, it would be to confess more than he cares to admit. But he knows that he can't sit there all the time, the idiots that makes up for the rest of the crew are incapable to even heat up half a gallon of water themselves.

And not even to speak the risk to spread the sickness to the rest of the boat, or to get sick himself. There is also the increasing worry that the crew starts to see him with mistrust if he stays with the boy too long, and the cook can see that accusations are forming in their minds. Silver suspects that a suspicion have been in the others minds, that the cook is beginning to get too soft of a heart. So it have been with a heavy mind that Silver have left the boy alone in the closet to cook food to the others.

So the days crawls by, with Silver going thru his old, usual routine. To get up early, make breakfast, lunch and dinner. Clean the galley, cook, tidy up after the cooking, then cook some more. Every breakfast, lunch and dinner he brings some food for Jim, and an hour later he comes back to bring the plate back, seeing with increasing worry that barely any food have been touched every time. He tends to try to force the boy to at least drink a glass of water with every visit, knowing that water is important thing when someone's sick.

Silver can't stop the worry to grow every day when the boy don't start to show any sign of improvement, and worst is it at night. As the cook lies in his own hammock, when he should already be in deep sleep, the big, dark beast called fear is raving in his mind. The night grows really lonely these nights. He might even think that this is worse than the days following his loss of his limbs, now replaced by the robotic parts.

But today, finally, there is a glimmer of happiness in Silver when he sees the first evidence that his cabin boy is on his way back to good health. When he comes back to bring the plate back this morning he smiles when he noticed that more than half of the breakfast have been eaten. A clear improvement from the day before, when barely more than a fourth of the food have been eaten. The boy's eyes are also more clear when those sleepy eyelids slightly parts to see who disturbs his restless slumber, not fully registering everything they see. John could almost hug the boy for it that very moment, but deems it to be unnecessary.

* * *

Day 39, 19:07 o'clock

When John comes into the closet to check on his cabin boy only for a second, in just a tiny bit of fear to find the teen under the hammock again. He only cracks the door open just a bit, in a try to not let to much light into the dark room. From what he can see the boy is sleeping in his hammock just like he should, but is proven wrong when a small voice comes from within the closet when he is to close the door.

"Is that you, Silver?" Jim asks with a raspy voice, closely followed by a wet chough.

"Aye, it is me, Jimbo," confirms the cook with a low voice as he cracks the door open just with a few inches to peer inside. "I was only checking on you. Go back to sleep."

"Don't go," the teen pleads when the door is yet again moved to close the light out. "Can't you sit here with me? Please, just for a moment."

His voice sounds so lonely and so small that Silver feels like he have no choice other than to grant Jim his wish. The cook softly closes the door after him, the only light left within the closet is the yellow shine from his robotic eye. Not soon after Silver moves to the unlit lantern in the corner and kindles it with his built-in blowtorch. After that he takes one of the buckets, one of a bigger size, and flips it over to sit on it by the hammock.

"How are you feeling, lad?" Silver asks once he ís comfortable.

"I've been worse of," Jim answers.

"You have, haven't you."

With that there is a small pause where none of them knows what to say next. The cook wonders if he should ask the boy if he wants something that Silver can fetch, but the question dies away the moment it is formed in his mind. Somehow he can figure that it is nothing that the boy wants other than someone to just keep him company.

"Silver?" The mention of his name brings the older man to look upon the kid's face, to meet his look. "Can't you tell me a story?"

Silver rises a brow as a ghost of a smirks is on his lips. "A bedtime story? Aren't you a little old for that?"

Even though Jim is still pretty sick he have the energy to give the cook a glare, a true sign that he is on his way to fight of the infection. "Aren't you a little old to be stupid?"

The cook chuckles. _The pup is starting to get his bite back._ He thinks for a while as another silent pause goes by before he starts. "Have you heard about the old pirate captain Nathanial Flint?" Jim gets a look of disbelief, and only with his eyes he is able to ask the cook a silent 'are you kidding me?'. "I suspect I should take that as a yes," smiles Silver.

"Have you misplaced your brain somewhere?" the boy rolls his eyes. "Of course I know about captain Flint."

"If you want a story you are to behave just a little better, Jimbo," warns Silver jokingly. "But did you know that he had a kid?"

Jim thinks back on all the stories he have heard about the pirate for a moment, but in the end he have never heard that Flint have gotten any children. "So what, what's so special about that?"

Both of John's eyebrows goes thru the roof and beyond it. "And here you accuse me for misplacing _my_ brain! The Flints are still around. Good old Nathanial got a kid, which got a kid of its own and so on. And, if the vague rumors are to be believed, today's descendant of Flint is looking for the map of treasure planet."

Jim is silent for a moment, observing the cook with increasing interest as the boy starts to think about it. "A Flint is still alive?"

"Yes, he is. It isn't much known about him, he tries to keep a low profile for whatever reason, but the rumors say that he is a pirate just as Nathaniel."

The boy's eyes starts to glitter of wonder, and smiles at the thought. "A living Flint."

A grin covers Silver's face from chin to chin as he watch the expression. "According to the rumors he had his hands on the map for a short while, too, but lost it. Most of his crew made mutiny and left him on his crippled ship. When they left in the longboats they took the map from him."

"Really?" Jim observes the cook with big eyes, and Silver can't stop himself to imagine that this is surely what the boy have looked like at five years of age.

"Yeah. The part that rebelled wanted all of the treasures for themselves. Today's Flint got bloody mad after that."

"I can imagine."

"Since then, today's Flint have never stopped looking for the map and for those that sold him out, especially the one that led the mutiny. He have found most of the crewmembers and killed them of, but as of yet he have still to get back the map."

"Wow," the teen breathes.

For 20 minutes Silver tells more of the descendant of Nathanial Flint, with vague descriptions and few glimpses of stories. And Jim takes it all in, his mind imagining the scenes out, the disease temporary forgotten. As John speaks he feels a certain joy, a kind that he have not felt before, and he can't really set his finger on it. He have told stories countless of times to the crew of RLS Legacy, but never have he gotten this feeling then.

In the end the cook finishes the story time, and tells Jim to go back to sleep. The teen whines, as he wants to hear more of the Flint of today, but gets a sharp no. "For heaven's sake, just sleep already!" Silver orders when even more whines comes from the kid before the cook retreats out from the closet.

As the door closes behind him Silver's eyes falls as a grim and serious expression comes to his face. He brings out his mechanical arm in front of him, observes all the small joints in the fingers and the gears in the arm itself. With his organic arm he slowly pats the metal as memories comes to the surface of his mind. For just a moment he is back in time, to one of the most intense and haunting moments of his past that he rather leave forgotten and buried.

_There is fire, hot and burning. The one side of his body hurts, the control of his right leg and right arm gone to the black crisps they have become. He clutches his right side as he looks for a way to escape. There is even a black wounds covering his right eye, the gaping hole seeping and leaking. The adrenaline in his system tells him to hurry up, to find a way out, to get away. And the voice! The voice that screams his name over and over again in rage._

_The voice of Maddox Flint, today's descendant of Nathaniel Flint._

The flashback ends just as fast as it have appeared, and Silver's head snaps back up. He walks away in silence as he shoves the memories deep into the back of his mind.

* * *

**None of you ever expected a vague hint of Silver's past, now did you?**


End file.
